EMMERDALE fans were ecstatic tonight as Joe Tate returned from the dead in explosive scenes.
Joe, played by Ned Porteous, has been presumed murdered for the last five months, with Cain Dingle believing he had killed him.
Fans have been praying ever since that because there was no body, and no funeral, it meant the hunk could still be alive, and now their prayers have been answered.
Viewers saw Joe alive and well in Monte Carlo, after it emerged he survived Cain’s assault and Graham Foster helped him flee abroad to save him from stepmum Kim Tate’s wrath.
Fans took to Twitter in their droves to share their shock, delight and excitement at the hunky businessman being back on their screens.
One wrote: “#Emmerdale Joe’s aliveeee I bloody new it”.
Another added: “Joe Tate is back in emmerdale and I am honestly crying tears of joy he’s back to save the show.”
A third tweeted: “JOE TATE!!! YAAAAAAYYYY”.
Ahead of the explosive scenes, a soap source exclusively told The Sun: “Everyone was convinced he died in October.
“But he has been alive all this time and secretly living abroad with Graham’s help.
“Unsurprisingly, it comes as a huge shock to the rest of the village. And Cain in particular will be stunned.
“He’s been living with the belief he murdered Joe, with Debbie Dingle blaming him for her loss.
“But as soapland has seen time and again, unless a body or burial is seen, it’s likely a character could come back at any point — and that’s the case with Joe.”
The fake millionaire appeared to have been killed off after Cain punched him and caused him to hit his head on a rock.
The attack came when Cain thought Joe had ditched Debbie at the altar — when he was in fact ordered to leave by Graham, via soap villain Kim.
Tonight, a furious Kim confronted Graham, saying: “Turns out Joe’s the boy that won’t die.
“There never was a body to dispose of because he was never dead.”
But when Kim said she had managed to locate the hotel Joe was staying in, Graham revealed he had already told him to move on.
He said: “I decided it might be best to move him on.
“Do you honestly think I’d put Joe into harms way again?”
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