It makes a LOT of sense.
The mystery of wether or not Emmerdale’s Joe Tate was actually alive has been going on for what
The businessman was seemingly killed off in October last year, after he hit his head when he was punched by Cain Dingle.
He was then seen unconscious in the boot of Graham Foster’s car, with Kim Tate’s ‘henchman’ driving Joe to the viaduct and supposedly murdering him.
But without a body – or even just someone in the village actually confirming the news – many fans became convinced that Joe was actually still alive.
And on Monday, fans were proven right when it was revealed Joe was actually in Monte Carlo.
The news was revealed after Kim Tate tried to figure out who had been withdrawing funds from one of her offshore accounts.
She hired a PI to get to the bottom of what has been happening, and was left stunned when she saw it was none other than a not-at-all-dead Joe was the culprit.
Now, fans have begun to wonder if Joe’s brief cameo has something to do with Debbie Dingle’s exit from the show.
Charley Webb – who plays Debbie – recently confirmed that she and her husband, Matthew Wolfenden, are expecting their third child. Ever since then, fans have been wondering how she would leave the show for maternity leave.
Following the big Joe reveal, fans took to Twitter to share their theories.
https://twitter.com/GrianneDoherty9/status/1107725730446798848
Joe Tate is only alive now as a plot device for Debbie to leave for a few months whilst the actress who plays her is on maternity leave…#emmerdale
— Candid Cassie (@CassieCandid) March 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/RaffertyLorna/status/1107726292538060800
Well I knew all along Joe was still alive!! Wonder if he will come back though? #Emmerdale or maybe this is how Charley will take her maternity when Debbie goes to find Joe??
— Nic (@Nicola07196629) March 18, 2019