Emmerdale‘s ongoing blackmail storyline between Joe Tate and Robert and Victoria Sugden takes another twist as Graham Foster becomes involved.

In a violent struggle, Victoria killed her brother John Sugden by stabbing him in the neck with a syringe containing a deadly dose of an unspecified drug.

Tonight’s episode (9 February) saw Victoria take a call from the coroner’s office about John’s death, confiding in Robert and Aaron Dingle that it was going to be ruled a suicide.

She seems relieved she is in the clear and that they can move on. Aaron urges her to focus on being a mum, saying that anyone would have done the same as her in her position.

But she cannot breathe just yet, with Joe demanding that Robert and Victoria sign over their share of Moira Dingle’s farm to him, or he will release video footage of Victoria killing John.

Joe increases the pressure on Robert, who ensures that the paperwork is in hand, and he will get him what he wants.

Robert asks if there is any way they can get Moira off the hook, given they planted the evidence to get her arrested. In response, Joe threatens to plant “some evidence of [his] own” if he doesn’t speed up his lawyers.

Victoria catches Robert and Joe talking, and Robert is forced to confess to Victoria his part in Moira’s arrest.

Tonight, we learned that Graham, who returned to the soap in last month’s explosive Corriedale crossover, also knows exactly what Victoria has done.

As Joe returns home following his confrontation with Robert, Graham asks what is going on between the two of them after following him.

He seems disapproving of the plan and Joe’s actions, warning that while he will “always play for Joe’s team, [he] may not always play by the same rules”.

Joe tells Graham not to judge him and that he’s securing a legacy for his family. Graham replies by saying that if he is to live with Joe, he needs to know what is going on.

Could this mean that a rivalry between the duo could develop? Given both of their dark pasts, conflict could have explosive consequences.

It comes ahead of Victoria’s final scenes set to air this week on Thursday (12 February), with actor Isabel Hodgins heading on maternity leave.

Speaking about her impending exit, Isabel told The Sun: “I thought I would be really emotional when I filmed my final scenes.

“Emmerdale is all I have ever known. But pregnancy does funny things to you, and the truth is I felt ready not to have to film on Emmerdale!”

She added: “I live in Manchester and I’ve been driving over to Leeds to film. By the end, I felt exhausted, and I knew it was time to have a rest before the baby arrives.

“It suddenly feels very real now. I am so excited about becoming a mum for the first time, and this will be, by far and away, my biggest role I’ve ever had.”

Meanwhile, Emmerdale is due to air another standalone special episode this Friday (13 February), focusing on April Windsor, Dylan Penders and Bear Wolf.