John Sugden claimed to have buried Anthony Fox in a shallow grave, but as Steph Miligan’s life falls apart, she discovers the paramedic’s deception.
Caleb Miligan becomes increasingly suspicious of Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) in Emmerdale, but he is also unsettled by the possibility of Jai Sharma (Chris Bisson) uncovering the truth about his father-in-law’s murder.
Jai has set his sights on Steph (Georgia Jay), who is consumed by shame following her grandfather Anthony’s murder and the revelation that he was her biological father.
“Caleb’s really wary of the fact that, if he starts digging, then he might find something incriminating,” says Caleb Miligan actor Will Ash. The consequences could be far-reaching, potentially implicating Cain, Chas, and Aaron Dingle, as well as John Sugden, who all played a role in hiding Anthony’s body.
With Ruby (Beth Cordingly) struggling to hold the family together, Caleb must navigate the crisis without revealing their dark secrets. However, despite his best efforts, Steph’s mental health continues to decline.
Isolating herself from her relatives, she seeks comfort at Anthony’s hidden resting place, where her sorrow transforms into despair. Will shares: “I don’t think Caleb realises how bad things have gotten,” as “But they find her clawing away at the ground where he’s buried. It’s painful to watch.”
A further revelation awaits, adding to their shock. Will drops a hint: “Steph makes them realise that there might not be anybody buried there,” teasing viewers with “You’d need a mechanical digger and John doesn’t have access to one.”
John (Oliver Farnworth), a paramedic and supportive figure within the family, was instrumental in concealing Anthony’s demise. Initially convinced his partner Aaron (portrayed by Danny Miller) was responsible for Anthony’s death, it later becomes clear that Ruby was the one who dealt the deadly blow after Aaron had viciously attacked the man.
Amidst Steph’s chaos, Caleb remains focused on Joe Tate, per Will Ash’s insight. “At this point, Caleb thinks that Joe’s saved his life,” he notes, before revealing, “But he wants to keep an eye on him. So he invites him round for dinner to scratch away at the surface and see what’s going on.”
Unfortunately, Joe slips up. As he departs, he accidentally leaves behind his coat, which contains crucial immunosuppressant medication, leading up to tense scenes on ITV.
Will explains the significance of the forgotten pills: “If you’ve had a kidney transplant, you need to take immunosuppressants for your immune system to accept the new kidney,”.
In a dramatic turn of events at Mill Cottage, when Joe sneaks back to grab his coat, he bumps into Steph, but it’s Caleb who steps in. As Joe scrambles, his pills tumble out, putting him on the spot as the pills catch Caleb’s eye. “Caleb doesn’t know what they are at the time but he knows he’s on medication,” reveals Will, “Something isn’t right.”