Emmerdale's John unearths Robert's damning secret involving returning character

The latest episode of Emmerdale revealed what 'dirt' John Sugden will have over his sibling Robert Sugden amid their ongoing feud.

Robert's determination to expose his sibling's dark ways, with no one believing him, left him with a target on his back on Wednesday night. John had unearthed the fact his brother was trying to find out what he was hiding, but not even Robert knows for certain the horrifying truth.

He's clocked on to the fact that John is always there to save the day, and he's suspicious over recent events concerning former mother-in-law Chas Dingle, and villager Jacob Gallagher. Robert has also figured out that John may have killed Nate Robinson and then framed Owen for the crime, while he has no proof.

With Robert's mental health spiralling, John feigned concern and asked doctor Liam Cavanagh to have a word with his brother. Playing the doting brother who is being targeted for no reason, John wasted no time in telling their sister Victoria about Robert's attempts to get into his phone as well as badmouth him to others.

Victoria, already concerned about Robert given his prison trauma and him having nightmares, feared he was spiralling and taking it out on John. But if only they all knew the truth.

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Robert was annoyed by Liam's arrival, and soon returned to calling out John. Fishing for information on him, he kept talking about Liam's colleague not being honest and truthful, claiming he had something to hide.

John was nervous as he listened into the chat via a listening device he'd secretly planted in the house. He heard Robert claim he would get to the bottom of what John was up to, with him heard saying "something wasn't right with him".

Robert then unintentionally gave John something to have over him though, as returning character and new villain Ray headed back to the village to track Robert down. Ray debuted a few months ago, and Robert secretly did a drugs deal with him.

He stole Lewis Barton's weed that was growing on Moira Dingle's farm and sold it to Ray. Ray was so impressed he wanted more, but Robert made it clear it was a one-off deal, and there was no more cannabis.

Ray didn't believe him though, and it emerged it was Ray who sent Dylan and another masked intruder to the farm to look for the crops. Of course they found nothing, and unfortunately they were caught, leading to Dylan being attacked - while Joe Tate got the blame.

But Ray wasn't done, and on Wednesday he returned to the show and the village, looking for Robert. Tracking him down, he asked Robert for another batch, admitting what happened at the farm.

Robert pleaded with him, saying business was over and there was honestly no more drugs. So when Ray hinted he would ask Lewis, or Ross and Mack, instead, Robert panicked.

Realising it would get out that he'd stolen the drugs and sold them to Ray, he begged the dealer to stay quiet as otherwise "he was finished". What Robert didn't realise though was that as he confessed to the theft and his deal with Ray, John was listening into the entire chat via the device and now knows his secret.

John now has dirt on Robert that could land him in trouble, both with the law and with the village. So what will John do with this information, and is it enough to get Robert to back off?

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and Threads.