What happened in Emmerdale tonight (Thursday, May 22)

As John manipulated both Mack and Moira, Sarah felt increasingly alone ahead of her biopsy appointment. Approaching her grandparents and her mum, she found herself...
Joel Harley
By Joel Harley

As John manipulated both Mack and Moira, Sarah felt increasingly alone ahead of her biopsy appointment. Approaching her grandparents and her mum, she found herself at the sidelines as Debbie dropped a massive bombshell.

Meanwhile, Mack made an unlikely alliance in his quest to save the farm, and Joe humiliated both Billy and Sam.

Here’s everything else that happened in Emmerdale tonight.

Sarah felt alone as Debbie dropped a bombshell

Sarah got a message from the hospital confirming her biopsy appointment. In need of support from her family, she called in to see Cain at the garage. Finding him busy rooting about under a car, she had second thoughts on seeking grandpa’s help, and went to see Charity instead.

Charity was no less busy in the Woolpack, and Sarah found little support there either. She headed, home where she tried calling her mum.

But Debbie had a bombshell of her own, leaving Sarah speechless. She returned to The Woolpack, where she broke the news to Charity. Not about the biopsy appointment – Debbie’s moved to Australia. And that’s not all. She’s gotten married to her new man without telling anyone. There was more – the biopsy of course – but Charity stormed off before Sarah could tell her about the hospital appointment.

As Cain and Charity bickered, Sarah fretted over her appointment. Charity stressed that Debbie was in a new relationship ala Belle and Tom, while Cain grew emotional at the thought of another kid having abandoned him.

Talking of abandonment, this left Sarah to attend her hospital appointment alone. All by herself, Sarah stripped down for the biopsy while, back at home, Cain had managed to get through to Debbie, who confirmed that it was her idea to emigrate in the first place – leaving the Dingles behind once and for all.

As Sarah returned home, Charity explained how she and Cain would always be there for her… unaware of everything that the terrified teen had been through already.

Joe humiliated Billy

With Lucas dragging his heels getting ready, Home Farm was a picture of chaos. Sam was playing dogsbody for Joe, who’d lined up a series of surprises for the kids.

Dawn wasn’t happy at their new e-scooters though, and demanded Joe take them back. Afterwards, she railed on him for buying the kids presents without telling her first – attempting to ‘buy’ her children’s affection.

After school, Billy arrived home to see the kids. He had a new pair of football boots for Lucas – but was left disappointed when he rejected the gift, telling him Joe had already bought him a better one.

With Billy humiliated, Dawn packed the kids off upstairs and Joe to another room, while she tried to reassure him that she’d had no idea about the boots.

However, she changed her tune afterwards – and was more than grateful to Joe for Lucas’s shiny new football boots. Can Joe buy his new family’s love after all?

Ross and Mack went into business

Ross and Lewis met for breakfast in the café. Ross pointedly shared the story of his burns, revealing that he was in pain due to one of his regular flare-ups. This being Ross’s not-very-subtle way of trying to score some marijuana. For medical purposes of course.

Later, back a the café, Ross took delivery of his cannabis plants from Lewis – a massive cardboard box full of them.

Later, Mack pulled up at the barn on his quad bike, where he found Ross acting shifty. He was shocked to see Ross’s box of baby cannabis plants, and cogs turned as Ross explained about Lewis’s pot operation. As an uneasy (and reluctant, on Ross’s part!) alliance was formed, Mack sensed an opportunity to save the farm.

Sam lashed out at Joe

Having spent the day acting as dogsbody for Joe, Sam was feeling frustrated. During a trip to the café, Sam finally snapped – lashing out at his employer’s incessant nagging.

Joe apologised, confiding in Sam about the state of his relationship, and seeking advice from the village’s most happily married man. Does this mark the start of an all-new and thoughtful Joe Tate?