ITV Emmerdale fans say 'something's not right' as they 'work out' character return after five years

Emmerdale fans are speculating that a character could make a dramatic comeback after five years following a significant clue spotted in Wednesday's episode.

In recent scenes, Aaron Dingle, portrayed by actor Danny Miller, was seen grappling with the devastating news that Rebecca White had passed away, leaving her child Seb in the care of her aunt.

Long-time soap fans will remember that Aaron's former spouse, Robert Sugden, played by Ryan Hawley, is Seb's father but he is currently serving time for killing Lee Posner.

The sad news regarding Rebecca was shared by her former partner Ross Barton, played by Michael Parr, who has made a comeback to the village after six years away.

This revelation left Aaron stunned as he reflected on happier times in his life and also confused as he wondered why Seb wouldn't reside with him and Robert's sister, Victoria Sugden, reports Leeds Live.

During a heart-to-heart with Victoria, she firmly stated that Robert viewed Aaron as a cherished "second dad" to Seb, yet she maintained that the youngster would benefit most from a stable environment with Rebecca's aunt.

As Aaron confided in Victoria, their conversation was overheard by Aaron's current romantic interest, John Sugden, who is a long-lost half-sibling to both Robert and Victoria.

John made an attempt to get facts from Victoria but she directed him to have a dialogue with Aaron instead. However, during Wednesday's instalment of the popular soap, when Aaron begrudgingly talked to John about Robert and was further prodded about his feelings, an agitated Aaron stormed away from the scene.

Taking to social media, viewers are convinced that all this talk of Robert could lead to a return for the character after five years. Viewers will recall that Robert left the show back in 2019 after being sent to prison over the death of Lee Posner.

Robert accidentally caused Lee's death after he attacked him, following Lee horrifically raping his sister Victoria. Robert faced up to his crime and cut all ties with the village and his loved ones as he was sentenced.

However, fans have held out hope for his return, particularly following hints that Robert may not have been responsible for Lee's death.

Lee sustained head injuries from Robert's punch, but it was later revealed that he had also been hit by his brother Luke, which could have contributed to his demise. With Robert's name resurfacing recently, viewers are hopeful for his comeback.

Taking to social media, one person said: "This is totally leading up to a Robert Sudgen return #emmerdale", a different account wrote: "Can't wait for Robert's inevitable return. #emmerdale", another put: "#Emmerdale is crying out for a Robert Sugden return" while a different viewer added: "I think John isn’t the real John and he’s been in jail with Robert, remember the name on the dog tags …something is not right. #emmerdale."

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.

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