Emmerdale’s Home Farm is supposed to be a germ-free zone at the moment, since Dawn

and Billy Fletcher (Olivia Bromley and Jay Kontzle) brought their sick baby Evan back home.

Evan had been in hospital since being diagnosed with leukaemia and has undergone gruelling

chemotherapy, with Billy and particularly Dawn spending huge amounts of time at the hospital to be by his side. With the treatment going well, Evan has been allowed home. But because he has a very depleted immune system, it’s important that everyone is careful not to pass on any bugs to him so visitors to the house are being kept to a minimum. Gabby (Rosie Bentham) and Thomas have moved out, and Lucas (Noah Ryan Aspinall) and Clemmie (Mabel Addison) are being home-schooled so they don’t bring back coughs and colds from school. All of this is obviously difficult for everyone concerned but particularly Dawn, who is incredibly worried about her baby’s health.

In upcoming episodes she’s upset when Evan spits up his medication while Billy is looking after him and she worries that she can’t trust him with their son’s care. Feeling despondent about this, Billy accepts an invitation from Nate (Jurell Carter) to go out for a few beers and he has a few too many. Nate has to bring him home. Evan develops a cough, and a concerned Dawn rushes him to hospital. Billy feels guilty that he allowed Nate into the house, given that Nate hasn’t been social distancing like the rest of the family. Kim (Claire King) knows that Dawn would be furious if she thought Billy had been so reckless with Evan’s health and she decides to take the blame – which obviously doesn’t go down well with Dawn.