Emmerdale reveals Kim Tate's shocking visitor in Baby Tate story

Emmerdale's Kim Tate is collared by social services next week after DS Thea Ramsden suspects her of arranging an illegal adoption for Baby Tate.

Viewers now know that Graham Foster actually has custody of the little boy, and that he and Kim are looking after him at a secluded cottage, hoping Joe will eventually change his mind about giving up his son.

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Yet panic hits Home Farm when a social worker arrives and insists on seeing Joe and the baby, forcing Kim to think fast.

Little does she know that her own secret daughter, Thea, is the one who set the wheels in motion…

"Thea thinks history is repeating itself, and they're looking for an option that's going to provide them with money,” warns Chelsea Edge, who plays the vengeful cop.

"She thinks the baby is going to be sold and decides that she can't let this happen again. But Thea is a police officer, and she knows she'll need evidence."

What Thea doesn't realise is that Kim is desperately trying to stop Joe from making the worst decision of his life. He's so consumed by his revenge plot against Caleb and Ruby Miligan that he's pushed the baby to the back of his mind.

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Kim is desperately worried about him and unable to reach him, no matter how hard she tries. But while she's discussing the situation with Lydia Dingle at the café, Thea overhears their conversation and gets completely the wrong impression of what's going on. She immediately springs into action.

"Thea became a police officer because she does care deeply about people,” explains Chelsea. "However, her sense of justice has been a bit skewed here because of her feelings towards the Tates. But she does care about the welfare of the baby, and she wants to make sure he's safe and not being sold into God knows what!"

To gain the intel she needs, Thea begins breaking the law to gather her evidence. Thea's obsession has started to deeply worry her best friend Serena Sugden, who is concerned that she's taking so many risks.

"Thea has gone way off book!" reckons Chelsea. "That's another worry of Serena's because she's never behaved like this before – it's completely out of character.

"But Thea is being driven by this need for revenge and all the other responsibilities she has become secondary to this rage. Serena should be concerned."

Related: Exclusive – Emmerdale confirms new long-running Joe Tate revenge story

After the social services visit, Thea decides to go looking for the evidence herself, so sneaks into Home Farm. She gains access to Kim's phone and looks at messages that she hopes might give her the clues she needs. But how will she explain her intel given that she's broken the law to get it?

"Thea is looking for evidence that Baby Tate is being sold and to find out where he might have been taken," reveals Chelsea. "But she has to be careful about how she brings up this theory to her superiors and how she's going to explain her knowledge.

"Thea is driven by justice, and she sees Kim as someone who's got away with a lot of crimes in her life. She thinks that this is the moment she can finally get Kim and put her down for this."

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.

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