Emmerdale airs double exit heartbreak for Kim Tate as Joe makes tragic decision in early ITVX release

Kim Tate (Claire King) has been left devastated in Emmerdale, and her reaction has potentially jeopardised a chance to learn that DS Thea Ramsden (Chelsea Edge) is her daughter.

Life at the Home Farm hasn't been the same since the death of Dawn Fletcher (Olivia Bromley). Her grieving husband-to-be Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) decided to kick her children out of the manor house, seeing them as a painful reminder of everything he's lost.

As for their newborn son, only known as Baby Tate, he's been left in the hospital ward. Joe wants nothing to do with him, and earlier this week, asked childhood guardian Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) to arrange a private adoption.

Sickened by the suggestion, Graham warned that – if he was to complete the deed – it would be the last thing he'd ever do for Joe.

In today's episode, Kim was delighted to see that the child had been brought home. She wondered whether Joe had suddenly had a change of heart, and tearfully began to make plans - including buying essentials.

However, he announced that his son was only at Home Farm so she could say a proper goodbye.

Graham then dropped another bombshell. He said that this was the final task he'd complete for Joe, and as a result, he would also be leaving that day.

Meanwhile, across the village, Thea chatted to Serena Sugden (Casey Al-Shaqsy) about an interaction she'd had with Kim the day before. As viewers know, Kim gave up a daughter for adoption in 1999, with a recent flashback revealing that this baby was Thea.

It's clear that Thea holds a lot of resentment towards her oblivious mother, but their conversation had made her wonder if they'd simply got off on the wrong foot. She was prepared to reveal her identity and hopefully create a bond.

In The Woolpack, Thea nervously told Serena that she was about to reveal all. Kim was sat across the bar, discussing the day's events with Lydia Dingle (Karen Blick).

Trying to put the matter behind her, and as a way of accepting what had happened, she made an ill-judged comment about the adoption and how they were so commonplace.

Thea was disgusted. She looked over at Kim and privately branded her a "monster" to Serena.

Has Kim unknowingly destroyed her only chance at a reunion, and will we ever see Graham and Baby Tate again?

Read more:

• 3 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Chaos amid Jimmy King’s funeral, Gabby Thomas in hospital, and Charity Dingle returns home
• Emmerdale star teases "rocky road" for Sarah Sugden - and reveals hopes for Debbie Dingle return
• Emmerdale airs dangerous Sadie King and Robert Sugden alliance in early ITVX release
• Emmerdale legend confirms clashes between Cain Dingle and Sadie King amid dramatic comeback

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.

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Authors

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.