Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) has staged quite a return to Emmerdale, hellbent

on giving Kim (Claire King) a taste of her own medicine with a

revenge plot that only someone like her could dream up.

The dashing businessman was last seen six years ago and he’s had a lot of time to think about how to take back what he believes to his, devising an intricate plot to get revenge.

Emmerdale confirmed news of Joe’s return on Christmas Eve, with his comeback edition of the ITV soap set to air this evening.

We can’t wait.

‘I’m so excited to be returning to Emmerdale,’ said actor Ned Porteous. ‘There’s a lot of unfinished business for Joe, and it feels like the right time for him to make a comeback.

‘Joe has always been a character with a dark side, but there could be something much bigger at play here.

‘Joe is back for a reason, and the devastation at Home Farm is just the beginning of a much bigger story. It’s safe to say the audience can expect fireworks this holiday season!’

If you’re eager for the lowdown on all-things Joe before his return to screens then I’m your guy, so let’s take a little trip down memory lane.

Who is Joe Tate in Emmerdale and why does he want to take down Kim Tate?

Joe is the son of Christopher Tate and Rachel Hughes, which makes him the step grandson of Kim Tate.

He appeared in Emmerdale as a child in the mid 90s and was looked after by Zoe Tate (Leah Bracknell) following his parents’ death.

Joe staged quite a comeback in 2017, with EastEnders star Ned Porteous taking over the role as part of a storyline where he went by the name of Tom Waterhouse, seducing Debbie to get revenge on Charity (Emma Atkins) who he believed had a role to play in his dad’s death.

Despite his twisted plan, however, Joe ultimately fell in love with Debbie, with the two embarking on a relationship and he also moved into Home Farm, taking over the property from previous owners the Whites.

Kim, meanwhile, staged quite a comeback decades in the making shortly after Joe’s arrival and she made it her mission to get her hands on Home Farm, ordering Graham Foster (Andrews Scarborough) to kill young businessman Joe.

Joe seemingly died after an altercation with Cain (Jeff Hordley), with Graham subsequently disposing of the body, but a shock twist confirmed that Joe was still alive and living aboard, doing whatever he could to stay out of Kim’s orbit.

But with six years having passed, it seems he is now intent on retribution as he plans to destroy Kim’s life – and all she holds dear.

The question is: will he succeed?