Emmerdale fans ‘work out’ what’s wrong with Joe Tate after huge update

For months Emmerdale fans have been asking what is wrong with Joe Tate, and now they think they have finally worked it out.

When Joe arrived back in the village on Christmas Day, there was clearly something going on. And it was clearly down to his health. But two months on and we still don’t have a clear answer.

However, in last night’s episode (February 27), viewers got a glimpse at just how ill Joe is. And after spotting a huge clue in the form of a suitcase, many think they know exactly what is going on.

What is wrong with Joe Tate?

On the night of the limo crash, Noah had been drugged. And after spending so long trying to get him to go to Dubai, Joe was clearly a suspect. And when Noah began having flashbacks to what had happened, it wasn’t long before we knew his older brother was responsible.

Last night saw Joe slip up and cause Charity and Ross to become even more suspicious that he had something to do with Noah’s drugging. And Ross wanted answers so badly that he took him hostage, holding him in the barn to get him to confess.

But Joe being Joe already had a backup plan incase anyone ever alleged that it was him. So, he got Ross to check his phone, which had proof he had purchased flight tickets to and from Brussels at the time of the accident.

Ross took this as proof, but still left Joe tied up. And he wasn’t looking good. By the time he managed to get to Home Farm, he had seriously deteriorated and made a suspicious phone call. That’s when his mysterious doctor arrived, holding a briefcase, insisting that what’s inside is “not a long term solution”.

And after Joe admitted he doesn’t know how much time he has left, many fans believe it was a dialysis machine that was inside.

Fans ‘work out’ the truth

Taking to X, one fan wrote: “Joe has kidney or organ failure? Hence potentially using a dialysis machine?” Another replied: “I think so.”

Another penned: “I think Joe has kidney failure. The case may have had a dialysis machine? So he needs a kidney match. Maybe the theories about Caleb on the operating table could be true.”

A third commented: “So, what’s meant to be up with Joe then? Portable dialysis machine?”

And while he seems intent on Noah’s help, another pointed out that due to Noah’s overdose storyline back in 2019, his kidney’s probably wouldn’t work for Joe.

They wrote: “If that machine is Joe’s dialysis, then what use would Noah’s kidney be? After his overdose years ago, could he even be a donor?”

A fan responded: “I don’t think he can. Which is maybe what Joe found out when he was drugged and so he let him go. The overdose happened after Joe had left, so he may not have known about it.”

Joe’s clearly going to extreme lengths to get something, and many have wondered why he just doesn’t ask for help. But with his time clearly running out, it doesn’t look like we have much longer to wait.

Read more: 15 Emmerdale spoilers for next week: Three funerals, Sarah pregnant and Dylan returns

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vugyyqW8fbI?si=Y8ufsyozLYPCuTMO]

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

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

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