Fans of Emmerdale are worried about Moira, but as she spirals out of control, destruction is imminent as a number of beloved characters put their lives in danger in a barn explosion.
Next week, when Moira Dingle’s unpredictable downward slide continues, death might be imminent in Emmerdale.
After recent episodes of the ITV soap opera featured the feisty farmer played by Natalie J Robb displaying alarming behavior, including lashing out against her husband Cain (played by Jeff Hordley), social media was ablaze with speculation.
While many Emmerdale viewers at home speculated her penchant for booze may have taken over her life, others feared she may be set for a hard-hitting health storyline of her own as they imagined her receiving a dementia or brain tumour diagnosis.
But in scenes due to air next week, Moira’s condition becomes deadly as five fan favourite characters, including legends Cain and Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter), could perish in a barn explosion.
Coming up on the Yorkshire-based soap, Moira’s grip on reality fades and tempers flare after Caleb Miligan (Will Ash) catches the glimpse of a heartfelt moment with Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter, who was tipped to be leaving the show) and unwillingly sets the rumour mill into overdrive when he takes it as proof of another affair.
Soon enough, Caleb breaks the news to a shocked Cain who, taken aback, decides to confront Moira with the speculation. The Scot plays it down but Cain’s incredulity only irritates her further and she storms out. But this only adds fuel to the growing fire.
Nate is a deer in the headlights when his father Cain turns his attention to him. Later on, when he returns home, a dismayed Moira catches on and realises he has viciously beaten Nate.
Things go from bad to worse when Cain rages, unaware that Moira is being a haunted by a flicker of deja vu. But it all comes to a head when, shocked and stressed, she slaps Cain, prompting him to leave.
In other scenes, a devious Ruby Fox-Miligan (Beth Cordingly) joins Moira in the barn to gloat but begins to feel sorry for the farmer, who is unresponsive to her jibes. Instead, Moira spills tractor fuel in the barn as Ruby’s voice blurs with that of her old nemesis, Emma Barton, whom she killed in 2017, letting her son Adam take the fall.
Overwhelmed and unrecognisable, Moira raises a shotgun at a horrified Ruby and padlocks the barn, before firing a warning shot in the air. But things quickly escalate into a tussle for the weapon and Moira manages to knock Ruby out with a blow to the head.
Hazy and shaken, Moira is confused as she recovers but when the spark catches fire on the trail of tractor fuel, Moira freezes, helpless next to Ruby’s body.
Word of the fire soon spreads throughout the village next week as Moira’s brother Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) sees the smoke coming from the barn at a distance. But after desperately trying to reach Moira in vain, he is left with no choice but to make the trip himself on a quad bike.
Once at the barn, Mack bumps into newcomer John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) and the pair agree to make their way into the barn, but not before Mackenzie can warn Cain, Caleb and Chas of the fire.
The trio make their way to the barn in a panic, despite Cain’s anger at his wife. The Emmerdale tough man races to the burning barn, while his sister Chas tries to hold him back from facing the blaze. But when they’re trapped in the barn, a huge explosion throws them all to the ground, leaving them at death’s door. Who will make it?