Emmerdale’s John Sugden k.i.l.l.i.n.g spree continues as star teases ‘two lifeless bodies’

Emmerdale is getting intense as two lives hang precariously in the balance next week, potentially spelling disaster for Robert Sugden as he faces the consequences alone.

Ryan Hawley’s Robert Sugden pulls out all the stops to shield his former husband Aaron Dingle from John Sugden’s grasp in Emmerdale – even if it means putting himself directly in harm’s way once again.

“His suspicions are renewed when he hears Tracy talking to Charity,” reveals Ryan. “She says there’s something more going on. He then finds out that Aaron and John are away at this cottage. He’s worried about Aaron, who’s in danger. That’s his primary focus.”

Aaron (Danny Miller) has found himself caught between affection and allegiance in recent months. John (Oliver Farnworth) provided him with stability, but Robert’s village comeback stirred up past hurts – and former desires.

However, from their first encounter, Robert detected something amiss about his half-brother John. “He thinks there are too many things that don’t add up,” Ryan explains, “He’s always had the suspicion there’s something wrong about John.”, reports the Mirror.

John, who carries the guilt of Nate’s demise and Mackenzie’s vanishing, realises Robert is closing in. To conceal his wrongdoings, he cuts Aaron off from others and strengthens his control.

Yet when Robert hunts them down with Eric Pollard’s assistance, the pretence crumbles completely. Robert levels m.u.r.d.e.r accusations at John, sparking a volatile showdown.

“He suspects that John is to blame for Nate’s m.u.r.d.e.r,” Ryan reveals. “Robert gets banged out in one go. He’s not very good at fighting.”

The tension escalates in the woodland as Robert comes round and begins pursuing them. Fear then meets treachery head-on.

“John instantly thinks that Aaron’s been lying to him,” Ryan explains.

“He knows that Aaron and Robert have had an affair so he instantly suspects there’s more betrayal. Then John comes up with his own survival instinct plan.”

That scheme proves fatal. As secrets regarding Nate and Mackenzie surface, John drags Aaron into his downward spiral – quite literally.

In a shocking twist, John yanks Aaron with him down a gorge, leaving Robert aghast.

“There’s so much going on,” Ryan reveals, “They’re on the edge of a cliff, there’s a revelation about Mack and another about Nate. It’s a very perplexing situation. He approaches the gorge and looks over. And he sees two lifeless-looking bodies at the bottom.”

Yet the horror doesn’t end there. For Robert, who only gained freedom on parole in May following his sentence for Lee Posner’s m.u.r.d.e.r, the consequences could prove disastrous.

“I don’t think he realises at that moment,” Ryan states. “It’s only later in the hospital that people start accusing him.”

Might these allegations land Robert back behind bars?

Behind the cameras, the demanding stunt sequences pushed everyone to their limits. The gorge filming stretched across an exhausting three-day period.

Yet Ryan thrived on the demanding work. “It’s fun to see people do cool things and make the scenes look great,” he says.

For Ryan, who made his comeback to Emmerdale following a six-year hiatus, this particular plot has proved worthwhile. “I’m very much enjoying it,” he says, “I get to work with everyone.”

Whilst Robert’s destiny remains precariously balanced, John’s prospects appear far bleaker. “It’s a great climax, a great ending to the story of this serial k.i.l.l.e.r,” he says, “I read every single scene in it all the way through. I loved it.”