Composite image of Joe Tate with baby Jean (Credit: ITV/Composite: EI)

Last week’s episodes of Emmerdale saw Joe Tate making a secretive phone call to a mysterious figure amid evidence of a painkiller addiction. With speculation rife as to the mystery caller’s identity, a new fan theory has suggested that he could be in contact with Jean Tate.

Jean was the daughter of Joe’s aunt, Zoe Tate, who she had with Scott Windsor. And with fans also wondering whether Joe might be in need of a kidney or organ transplant from a relative, he’d be wise not to hang all his hopes on half-brother Noah.

Is Jean Tate headed back to Emmerdale?

Joe on the phone in Emmerdale
Who’s on the phone? (Credit: ITV)

Emmerdale fans predict Joe on the phone to Jean Tate

Sharing the theory on a Reddit thread, one fan wondered whether Jean Tate could be ‘waiting in the wings’ to stage a comeback.

“Joe mentioned recently that Noah was his only family, but what about Jean. She’d be in her 20’s now and I highly doubt her mother raised her with an ideal view of Kim,” wrote one viewer.

“That would be great to bring Jean back. I think that they should bring some of the older characters back,” said another.

“Jean would be good but Scott would have to come as a package. And vice versa it would be such a missed opportunity for one to show up and not the other. And a Scott return is basically 20 years overdue,” agreed a third.

“Could maybe Jean Tate be waiting somewhere in the wings to appear??” asked a fourth.

Baby Jean and Joseph Tate on Emmerdale
Baby Jean would be in her 20s by now (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

Who is Jean Tate?

Born in January 24 2003 to Zoe Tate and Scott Windsor, Jean is his aunt’s daughter. Jean didn’t recall their one-night stand, which had come while she was struggling with her schizophrenia.

Initially believing that she had been raped, Zoe remembered that their fling had been consensual – but the pair were far from happy co-parents. After she suffered a schizophrenic breakdown, Scott took custody of the children.

During the bitter battle which followed, Zoe planned to take Jean away to California. Fuming Scott attacked her, leading her to fend him off with a syringe full of ketamine.

She managed to clear herself of charges of murder, which Scott didn’t take well either, holding her hostage in Home Farm with a shotgun. His mum, Viv managed to talk her son down… clearing the path for Zoe’s exit to New Zealand, along with little Jean.

Fans have been hoping for a return from this hitherto AWOL Tate. Is the time right for Jean to come back?

Read more: From Carl King to son Tom, Emmerdale characters that finally got their comeuppance

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.

Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

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