Emmerdale fans bid farewell to Joe Tate on Monday’s episode after he carried out his sinister plan.

Just last week, Joe engineered a sickening scenario for Caleb Milligan to be stabbed, all in order to steal his kidney. In the harrowing scenes, viewers were on the edge of their seats as Caleb nearly lost his life, with his condition so dire that he momentarily flat-lined on the operating table.

Amid the tense episodes, Joe’s private doctor, Dr Crowley, managed to save Caleb and perform the kidney transplant. Caleb was then dropped off at the hospital by Dr Crowley, who fabricated a story about performing emergency surgery which resulted in the removal of Caleb’s kidney due to the stabbing location.

On Monday’s episode, Joe, who had been battling chronic kidney disease and now equipped with Caleb’s kidney, made plans to leave the village as he set his sights on Dubai.

After arranging flights to Thailand for his accomplice, Shaun, who has been released by the police pending further investigation, Joe told Dr Crowley he was heading to Dubai where he had medical assistance awaiting him.

Dr Crowley gave Joe well-wishes before unveiling his own departure, telling Joe: “I’m out of here!” to which Joe echoed the sentiment, recognising it was time for a new chapter: “Yeah, me too, time to move on!”

The episode ended with Joe heading to the airport, during which he erased Dawn Fletcher from his phone contacts following their affair.

Soap watchers have been left wondering whether this is the last they’ve seen of Joe, especially as he appears to have got away with his sick plan scot-free.

However, it appears that Joe, who returned back in December after six years away, will be getting his comeuppance, which hints he could be back in the village once again.

An Emmerdale spokesperson told Metro: “Emmerdale covers a wide ranging scope of subjects in its storytelling. From births to deaths and everything in between, the nightly stories entertain, inform and raise awareness.

“We regularly work with organisations, help groups and charities for the portrayal of many of these subjects. But sometimes our characters go rogue acting out of desperation or whilst under pressure. Joe Tate’s desperate actions are not being held up as an example and as with any soap villain he will ultimately get his comeuppance.”