Emmerdale airs disastrous cliffhanger for blackmailed Robert Sugden in early ITVX release

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Be warned: This contains significant spoilers for the Emmerdale episode that aired on January 8th, 2026. You can currently watch it on ITVX and YouTube.

Thursday’s episode of Emmerdale put Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) in a difficult situation when Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) blackmailed him.

Wednesday’s episode of the ITV soap ended with a shocking turn of events: Joe is blackmailing Robert, demanding he give up Butler’s Farm and falsely implicate Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) in Celia Daniels’ illegal operation.

Joe is controlling Robert by blackmailing him with a shocking secret: footage of Robert’s sister, Victoria, defending herself by killing their half-brother, John. Joe not only filmed the incident but also made it look like John died by suicide.

Robert had already agreed to give up the farm, even though his partner Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) was furious. However, he was shocked when Joe asked him to try and falsely accuse Moira of Celia’s crimes.

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On Thursday’s episode, Robert firmly stated he wouldn’t involve Moira in any wrongdoing. However, when Joe tried to pressure Moira into selling her part of the farm to the Tates, Robert began to think about it. Joe also offered Robert a large sum of money – over six figures – for his share of the farm.

Robert left with the passports of Celia’s trafficking victims, feeling overwhelmed by the difficult situation. He kept his worries to himself and didn’t confide in Aaron either.

Later in the show, Robert agreed to do what Joe asked and went to the farmhouse prepared to hide the passports.

When Moria got back home, she found Robert there and was immediately suspicious, questioning what he was doing in her house.

Has Robert been rumbled?

Producer Laura Shaw has promised that the mystery surrounding John’s death will finally be solved. It will be revealed that Victoria intentionally made it appear as if John had taken his own life, and her elaborate plan will fall apart.

Joe Tate knows a damaging secret about the Sugdens and has a video to prove it. He’s planning to use this information to get what he wants, and could end up taking over Butler’s Farm.

She confirmed: “Robert is also in the thick of it, trying to save Victoria by planting evidence.”

It’s disheartening to know that Moira will be arrested for human trafficking next week. The question remains: when will the full story be revealed?

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX and YouTube from 7am.

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Lewis KnightNews and Trends Editor

As a movie and TV critic, let me tell you a bit about Lewis, who essentially runs the news side of things at TopMob. He’s the one who figures out what people want to read and then gets the team to deliver. Honestly, the guy lives for television and film – he’s a huge Nicole Kidman fan, but he’s got pretty eclectic tastes, digging everything from sci-fi and indie films to the latest prestige HBO series. He brings a unique perspective, too, with a background in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. Before TopMob, he spent three years at The Mirror, handling everything from community engagement and SEO to reporting on showbiz, film, and television – so he really knows the industry inside and out.

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2026-01-08 15:34