Emmerdale: If it is Nate Robinson's hand in the lake - who killed him? All the fan theories so far

In what is already proving to be quite the dramatic week in Emmerdale (and it’s only Tuesday!) a hand was discovered under the icy lake and fans are convinced it belongs to Nate Robinson. But if it is, how did it get there?

Viewers and Emmerdale Insider have long since wondered if Nate was actually dead rather in than in Shetland as has been claimed. And now it seems we might be a step closer to finding out the truth…

A hand pops up as Amy fights for her life under water (Credit: ITV)

Amy finds a hand – with a familiar friendship bracelet on – in the icy lake after the limo crash

Last night (Monday February 17) the girls’ limo crashed onto an icy lake and started to fall through. Suzy Merton was killed on impact and the other women (and Liam) forced to get out of the limo one by one carefully crossing the ice.

Liam, Chas, Vanessa and Tracy made it to safety, but Amy who was next to go, fell through the ice. She plunged into the water below and as she sunk to the depths she was confronted by a dead body – with us seeing just the hand, wearing a distinctive friendship bracelet. Very similar to the ones Frankie loves to make for everyone…

Did Amy uncover Nate Robinson’s body?

Nate was wearing the same friendship bracelet in his final scenes (Credit: ITV)

What happened to Nate in Emmerdale?

Nate left the Dales last year. He was supposedly taking a job in Shetland, which is known for being remote. He has barely been in touch since he went, sending just one message to ex Tracy telling her he wasn’t ready to talk and he would be in touch when he was.

The last viewers saw of Nate, he was off to confront Moira Dingle. She was unknowingly in the grips of her brain tumour and had made a pass at him. Caleb had witnessed it, told Cain and Cain had beaten his son. Nate tried to explain it was nothing and he had pushed her away, but Cain wanted nothing to do with him.

Tracy, with whom he had recently reconciled, also ended things and told him to go to Shetland alone.

Fans have long-since wondered why Nate’s exit was so abrupt. We never actually saw him leave and the last interaction he had was with John Sugden.

The fact he has not contacted his beloved daughter, who he once wanted sole custody of, nor did he respond to messages about his grandad Zak’s death, is highly susicious.

This was the last time anyone saw Nate - when he was talking John (Credit: ITV) — This was the last time anyone saw Nate – when he was talking John (Credit: ITV)

Who killed Nate in Emmerdale?

So let’s assume for now the hand does belong to Nate. Other theories include the most obvious, Anthony, whose body was disposed of by John Sugden last month after his death. But taking him out of the equation (Frankie definitely wouldn’t have made him a friendship bracelet!), just what did happen to Nate?

John Sugden

The smart money is on mysterious John Sugden. He was the last person (we know of) to see Nate alive and is also VERY handy at cleaning up after a murder.

Fans seem pretty convinced, with one writing on social media: “My money is on psycho John.” Another queried: So did John kill Nate because he was the last to see Nate who just weirdly disappeared?”

“We all know it’s prob John that off’d him, but considering they had no real interaction or connection it makes no sense to why? Just seems like trying to force another serial killer storyline,” mused a third.

A fourth added: “I need a flashback to why John killed Nate. That guy was suspect from the start.”

“It would explain why John appeared to have disposed of a body before he got rid of Anthony’s…” a fifth commenter connected.

A sixth wrote: “I think John killed Nate and it’s something to do with his partner who was killing the Army, I think Nate was in the Army.”

There was no love lost between Caleb and Nate (Credit: ITV)

Caleb Miligan

There was no love lost between Caleb and Nate after the former slept with the latter’s wife, Tracy. Nate took revenge by scrapping all of Caleb’s cars. But would Caleb have killed to get him back?

“My theory is that Caleb killed Nate and so Cain will kill Caleb,” shared one viewer.

Another agreed: “My money’s on Caleb having killed him.”

Moira looks furious (Credit: ITV) — Moira made some pretty bad moves before her brain tumour diagnosis (Credit: ITV)

Moira Dingle

A quite out-there theory, but one that made sense at the time given Moira’s out of character behaviour.

“Moira shot Nate, John covered it up and we now know he threw the body in the lake,” said one fan on X.

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

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

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