Emmerdale viewers were disappointed with producers after Joe Tate’s kidney stealing storyline got underway. Drama continued in the Yorkshire Dales, as Caleb Miligan found himself at the centre of a tragic plan which left him fighting for his life. Joe is currently suffering from chronic kidney failure and has been searching for an eligible donor.
Earlier this year, he spiked Noah Dingle in an attempt to get him into surgery for his kidney. But his plan failed, and unfortunately led to Noah causing the tragic limo crash which killed Suzy Merton (Martelle Edinborough), Amy Wyatt (Natalie Ann Jamieson) and Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi).
With the help of local GP Manpreet, Joe learned Caleb Miligan would be a suitable match and began his sinister plan to target the depot owner. Joe is the half-nephew of Caleb. Caleb’s dad Frank Tate is the half-brother of Joe’s dad Christopher Tate. Joe returned to the fictional village at the end of last year, but the actor was a series regular from 2017-2018.
He executed his master plan during Thursday’s (March 27) episode, which saw Joe’s ally and troublemaker Shaun attack Caleb with a knife. Going along with the plan, Joe came to the ‘rescue’, but was shocked to see his scheme did not go exactly to plan.
He found Caleb in a worse state than he had intended. Worried for his life, Joe transported Caleb to his private doctor. Dr. Crowley said: “There’s a decent chance he would’ve died before you even got him to the hospital.” He added: “At this point I can’t rule out damage to the kidney.”
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But viewers were not best pleased with the storyline, with knife crime at the forefront of many conversations in today’s society. Taking to social media, one fan said: “You are losing viewers and losing the damned plot ! It’s 7.35. Kids about and you are showing a stabbing. Sack the writers.” Another wrote: “This storyline now crossed the utterly ridiculous end unbelievable line now.”
More added to the conversation on X: “In the light of the recent Adolescence show on Netflix, #emmerdale is sick to think they can broadcast knife crime on TV as a way of having a kidney transplant. …….” and “This whole episode and storyline about Joe and Caleb is messed up.”
Later in the episode, things turned from bad to worse for Caleb, as he lay fighting for his life on an operating table. Joe and Dr Crowley towered over his vulnerable body, with fans left wondering if he will survive.
Caleb fell victim to Joe’s destructive plan(Image: ITV)
Meanwhile, Caleb’s daughter Steph was still coming to terms with the heartbreaking news about her real identity. It was revealed that Ruby Fox-Milligan had been sexually abused by her dad (Anthony Fox) when she was a child.
In a devastating turn of events, it’s revealed Anthony is the real father of Ruby and Caleb’s daughter Steph, which truly turned his world upside down. Furious with facing the reality of her own dad, Ruby killed Anthony and a group of villagers helped her dispose of the body in the woods.
In recent scenes, Steph has been struggling to come to terms with mourning the loss of her grandad, who she now knows was actually her dad. While Caleb lay lifeless in surgery, Steph and Ruby bonded over fond memories of childhood, oblivious to Caleb’s predicament, the outcome of which is yet to be determined.
Fans were keen to congratulate Beth Cordingly (Ruby), William Ash (Caleb) and Georgia Jay (Steph) for their performances in such a hard-hitting storyline. Earlier this month, one viewer wrote: “Huge well done to Beth Cordingly, William Ash and Georgia Jay!! Really outstanding scenes tonight in Steph’s discovery of the truth about Ruby’s past! Well done everyone tonight was really good.”
More added: “What an episode, what a family. 3 incredible characters and 3 incredible performances from Beth, Georgia, and William tonight (& every night). so grateful for this storyline and for them, they have my whole heart.”
