Emmerdale reveals Baby Tate's kidnapper as DS Thea Ramsden is stabbed in early ITVX release

A dramatic visit to Emmerdale has seen the identity of Baby Tate's kidnapper revealed – as DS Thea Ramsden (Chelsea Edge) was stabbed by her own mother Kim Tate (Claire King).

Ever since the copper's arrival, she's been sniffing around Home Farm trying to avenge her adoption 27 years ago. She's furious that Kim abandoned her, and despite Thea starting to see her as a changed woman, the tirade has continued.

She became privy to the fact that Joe Tate's (Ned Porteous) newborn child had been 'illegally adopted' – though was unaware that the infant was safe and sound with Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) on the other side of Kim's sprawling estate.

Earlier this week, Thea arrived on Kim's doorstep and could immediately sense that something was wrong. The millionaire reluctantly showed her a ransom note, which demanded 100k in exchange for the baby, who had been taken from Graham's care.

It insisted that there be no police involvement, and Thea agreed, taking great joy in seeing her biological mother so stressed.

In today's episode, however, things took a worrying turn. Kim began to piece together clues that supported her belief that Thea was the one who took the baby. She thought it was too much of a coincidence that she'd accused her of being responsible for the crash that killed Dawn Fletcher (Olivia Bromley), and that she kept showing up at Home Farm when things were going wrong.

Thea outright denied the accusations, and instead of explaining the truth and revealing who she really is, she decided to begin locking the doors to stop Kim from leaving.

Panicked, and trying to outrun her, Kim grabbed a kitchen knife and drove it through her stomach.

Thea collapsed to the floor, and Kim remained adamant that something suspicious was happening as Baby Tate's kidnapper continued to send clues to the child's whereabouts through a tablet.

On the outside, Graham was led to the stable block and couldn't believe his eyes when the kidnapper emerged from the shadows.

It's Joe!

But why did he take the baby, how did he find out that Graham had him, and will Thea be OK?

Read more:

• Emmerdale airs hostage situation for Liam Cavanagh as brute from Dylan Penders's past arrives in early ITVX release
• Emmerdale airs Vinny Dingle exit after 7 years with major sentencing twist in early ITVX release
• Emmerdale star teases "rocky road" for Sarah Sugden - and reveals hopes for Debbie Dingle return

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.