Emmerdale fans are bracing for a major revelation as the long-hidden prison past of Robert Sugden comes to light, marking the dramatic return of actor Ryan Hawley to his signature role after six years away from the ITV soap. Robert’s original imprisonment in 2019 following the death of Lee Posner saw him sever ties with his sister Victoria Sugden and ex-husband Aaron Dingle, setting the stage for his emotional comeback. Digital Spy confirmed that the show’s producers have been carefully building toward this moment since early autumn.

The returning storyline promises to deliver high-stakes drama, especially for Aaron, whose life has been upended once again. After the shocking revelation that John Sugden was behind the murder of Nate Robinson, the kidnapping of Mackenzie Boyd, and the framing of Robert for a cliff incident, Aaron had hoped for closure. Instead, he’s confronted with a new emotional challenge: Robert’s prison husband, Kev Townsend. With Kev terminally ill and granted special permission to visit Robert, Aaron devises a desperate plan to sabotage their relationship.

Tensions will reach their peak when Kev and Robert plan to renew their vows, forcing Robert to confront his past and reveal the full story of his time behind bars. A special standalone episode airing on Wednesday, November 12, will chronicle these long-awaited revelations, giving fans a deep dive into Robert’s life in prison and his unexpected connection with Kev. According to Radio Times, this episode is expected to be one of Emmerdale’s most emotional installments of the year.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News and other outlets, Ryan Hawley teased a shocking plot twist hidden within the upcoming episode. “It’s nice for us to not know, and then leave it to your imagination,” he said. “But this is obviously a scripted dramatisation of what happened during that time. It’s nice for us to find out.” Chris Coghill, who plays Kev, added that the cast themselves were unaware of Kev’s backstory until recently — prompting Hawley to joke, “I didn’t know I had a husband in prison!”

Reflecting on the importance of the episode, Hawley said, “To have this kind of flashback is lovely because it allows us to tell a complete story. There’s one particularly very nice little twist that neither of us knew about until we read the script. I remember reading it and thinking, ‘whoa’.” The actor hinted that the revelation could spark future storylines, noting, “As far as we know, no one finds out about it, so there are interesting things being sown for what’s to come.”

Meanwhile, Emmerdale is juggling several other major plotlines. A special episode airing Monday, November 10, will spotlight Bear Wolf’s struggles after leaving the village, while Charity faces turmoil following Ross’s unsettling confession. Paddy and Mandy’s search for Bear turns into a heartfelt “Bear Hunt” involving Matty and the children. The long-running soap continues to deliver gripping drama on weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1, with episodes available for streaming via ITVX.