Emmerdale might be set for the return of a Dingle icon in an unexpected twist involving April Windsor. The young character, played by Amelia Flanagan, has been missing since Christmas Day, last seen entering an unfamiliar car driven by an unknown person. April’s vanishing act followed a challenging period in the Dales. After discovering the truth about her mother Donna’s (Verity Rushworth) death in 2014, April resorted to alcohol and drugs and had a fallout with her father Marlon (Mark Charnock), before disappearing. Since then, a distraught Marlon, along with the rest of the village, has been desperate to locate April.

This week, a chilling CCTV video showing a potential sighting of April Windsor sprinting across a street in Leeds was shown to her family. Following the release of the footage, fans are speculating that April’s return to the Dales could coincide with the reappearance of a former Dingle favourite: Eli, reports Leeds Live. April went missing at Christmas (Image: ITV) Joseph Gilgun, who played Eli Dingle on the show, first appeared in 2006. As Marlon Dingle’s (Mark Charnock) younger brother, Eli quickly became popular among viewers. He was involved in several major storylines, including having an affair with cousin Debbie (Charley Webb) and aiding Alice’s (Ursula Holden-Gill) suicide. However, after a robbery in 2010, Eli left the village.

After his departure from Emmerdale, actor Joseph has been far from idle. Notably, he took on the character of Woody in Shane Meadows’ gripping This Is England seriesincluding the initial 2006 film and subsequent television sequelsearning him multiple BAFTA nominations in 2012. Fans have ‘worked out’ Eli’s return (Image: ITV) Joseph has also been active behind the scenes, creating and starring in Brassic, a comedy series for Sky that premiered in 2019.

The show, featuring talents such as Michelle Keegan and Ryan Sampson, has been hailed as Sky’s most celebrated comedy series in over half a decade. Fans, however, are abuzz with speculation about his return to Emmerdale after a 15-year hiatus, particularly to reunite Eli with April in the village. A fan expressed their curiosity on an Emmerdale Facebook group: “I wonder if she is with Eli. Would be good to have him back.” The sentiment was shared by another, who exclaimed: “Yes absolutely bring Eli back and he can save the day.” Similarly thrilled, yet another fan commented: “I hope so. Eli was a great actor, and a lovable rogue!”