Emmerdale Joe Tate star lets slip identity of blackmailer - and it's not Dr Crowley

Joe Tate star Ned Porteous has teased an unexpected person might be his unknown blackmailer on Emmerdale. On next week's episodes of Emmerdale, Joe is left scared when he sees a blackmail demand for £100,000.

Joe has been relying on the support of Sam Dingle and he turns to Sam to discuss the blackmail letter and who it might be from. Worried it might be his henchman Shaun, Joe sacks him - but has he made a mistake?

An angry Shaun turns on Joe but Sam appears just in the nick of time with a gun in hand. Worried and concerned, Joe decides he needs to head away - but as he packs his things, he is knocked out by a shovel.

Joe wakes up in a makeshift hospital room and a menacing Dr Crowley stands above him. Will Joe regret on hiring the doctor to help with his illegal kidney transplant - or what else is in store for Joe?

Actor Ned Porteous revealed to us what it was like working with Dr Crowley actor James Hillier.

"James Hillier is a really nice guy and I enjoy working with him," he said, "The character that he built is fun and has more dimensions than just a helper. I think it’s cool. He serves as a very interesting character going forward."

Teasing there were big scenes ahead, Ned warned: "Hopefully, the audience likes what we do with it. It gets a bit crazy." Ned also insisted in one way he felt for Joe but understood the way he went about it was "completely unethical".

"I'd like to believe he is just doing what he has to do to survive. I think he would hold that mirror up to everyone and say, 'What would you do if your life really depended on it?' People say they wouldn't want to, and it’s not the right thing to do," he said.

"Of course it’s the wrong thing to do. It’s completely unethical, completely immoral, but he was fighting for his life, and now he’s just having to pick up the scraps, I guess."

Ned didn't specify who Joe might be being blackmailed by but he did hint it could be "anyone". He told The Mirror and other press: "It could be anyone, by this point, couldn’t it. There are enough people in the village who have it in for Joe."

Could Ned be hinting someone we least expect might be the blackmailer in a huge twist?

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.