Composite image of John and Chas in Emmerdale; he looks shady, she's in a hospital bed (Credit: ITV/Composite: EI)

Last night’s episode of Emmerdale saw Chas Dingle take a funny turn as she passed out in the Woolpack – but what’s wrong with her? Taking a tumble, she bashed her head on the way down, where she was found by Victoria and John.

Once again, John played the hero, and she was rushed to the hospital where they determined that she might have taken too many pills. With Chas claiming she’d been taking them as prescribed and her engagement ring still missing, Liam was convinced that something is afoot.

Did Chas lose track of how many pills she’s been taking – or has she been targeted by someone with sinister motives? Here’s all the fan theories so far.

Aaron rushes to Chas's aid when she collapses in Emmerdale
John and Victoria found Chas passed out in the pub (Credit: ITV)

What’s wrong with Chas in Emmerdale?

John ‘poisoned’ her

Fans have long been suspicious that John’s up to something – and last night seemed like further evidence that he’s a wrong ‘un. Conveniently arriving first on the scene, John was able to give Chas vital first aid.

“Did John increase her medication just so he could be the one to save her? Coincidence how HE was the one to find her,” wrote one fan.

“John has definely got some weird hero complex thing, going on. Swooping in to help/save Aaron, now Chas. Big giveaway he was so insistent on going back to the pub,” suggested another.

“John must have switched Chas’ painkillers to a different type or dosage so she’d overdose,” a third theorised.

This would be one way for John to buy his way into mum-in-law to-be’s good books.

Chas and Ella argue angrily in the Woolpack on Emmerdale while Mandy looks on awkwardly
Chas and Ella clashed earlier this week (Credit: ITV)

It was Ella

Another likely culprit is Liam’s spurned ex, Ella. She clashed with Chas at their engagement party earlier this week, leading to more bad feeling and some foul words from Chas.

“Ella was slinking around in the back. She changed Ella’s pills,” one fan said, pointing out Ella’s shady behaviour prior to Chas’s collapse.

“Who’s poisoning Chas , my money is on Ella , especially if she dispenses prescriptions for the practice,” another agreed.

“Ella has meddled with her tablets and stolen her engagement ring…… I reckon,” a third agreed.

But is Ella too likely a suspect? Some think so, and have wondered whether John might frame Ella, making her look responsible for Chas’s drugging.

“My prediction – John did it for the reasons you said. Ella will get the blame and this leads to her saying she’s leaving the village but before that she somehow finds out it was John and he kills her and everyone thinks she just left like Nate,” wrote one fan.

With actor Paula Lane set to leave the soap this year, her exit is imminent. But will Ella make it out alive?

Chas clutching her back in hospital on Emmerdale
Chas has been complaining of back pain for over a month now (Credit: ITV)

Chas is hiding a secret addiction

Ever since the limousine crash, Chas has struggled with persistent back pain. And viewers have wondered whether this might be hinting at a darker turn for the character ever since – might Chas be hiding a painkiller addiction?

“Wonder is Chas stealing prescriptions from Liam or could John be her supplier for her pain killer codeine addiction?” asked one fan.

“3 things is going on here with Chas’s tablet intake.. either she’s taking more than she’s letting or John has put some in her food/drink or Ella has changed the tablets as she works in the doctors surgery..” another wondered.

Chas collapses on the floor of the pub in Emmerdale
Is Chas’s collapse a symptom of something terrible? (Credit: ITV)

What’s wrong with Chas? Cancer or brain aneurism, fans fear

Another theory is that Chas might have a serious underlying health condition – the return of her cancer, for instance.

“I suspect Chas has stage 4 cancer (causing the bone pain) 😔 Not sure about why the drug levels were so high though,” wrote one viewer.

“Omg, Chas 😦 her cancer must have come back,” another said.

“I’m sure she has an ANEURYSM which threatened to burst which caused collapse….watch this space….” a third said.

Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale in 2025? A complete guide to departures, returns and new arrivals in the Dales

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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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