Caleb Miligan (William Ash) and Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) are at war in upcoming Emmerdale episodes, following Caleb’s shock discovery that Joe stole his kidney.
Caleb previously woke up in hospital and was told that he’d been stabbed in a car-jacking attack. Joe Tate had taken him to a private hospital where a surgeon had saved his life, although his kidney was too badly damaged and had to be removed.
What had really happened was that Joe Tate had needed a kidney transplant after his own kidneys were failing, and by subterfuge found out his uncle Caleb was a match. The ‘stabbing’ was staged as a way of getting him to the hospital, where a surgeon in Joe’s pay carried out the transplant.
Caleb eventually pieced all of this together, and in a tense confrontation he forced Joe to confess to the plot.
Caleb was incandescent with rage, both about the violation to his own body but also to the fact that Joe’s previous attempt to get Noah (Jack Downham)’s kidney had resulted in a drugged-up Noah wandering in front of a limo driven by Charity (Emma Atkins).
She swerved and the car ended up on a frozen lake, leading to the deaths of Suzy Merton (Martelle Edinborough), Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) and Amy Barton (Natalie-Ann Jamieson).
Unfortunately for Caleb’s thoughts of bringing Joe to justice, Joe also had compromising information on him, having worked out that Anthony Fox (Nicholas Day) was the biological father of Steph (Georgia Jay) and that the Miligans had something to do with Anthony’s disappearance.
With this stalemate, both Caleb and Joe reluctantly agreed they would both keep silent.
Cain steps in to help…
This volatile stand-off can’t last long, and in episodes airing soon Cain (Jeff Hordley) has to intervene when Caleb angrily pins Joe against the wall after Joe gloats that the police have visited the depot, concerned about a break-in.
Cain stops Caleb taking out his anger on Joe, and realises that something has to be done. There’s too much at stake for all the people who were involved in Anthony’s disappearance if the situation gets out of hand.
So he pays a visit to Kim Tate (Claire King), telling her that they need to put a stop to the feud between Joe and Caleb. As they’re discussing what can be done, Joe himself arrives and Kim immediately gives him a talking-to, pointing out that he’s treading very dangerous ground and could find himself heading to prison if he’s not careful.
Kim decides to convene a meeting of all parties and summons Caleb and Ruby (Beth Cordingly) to Home Farm, where they’re disturbed to find Joe and Cain waiting for them. Soon the meeting erupts into chaos as everyone starts arguing.
Kim has a solution and makes Caleb a final offer. She says she’ll give him the land surrounding his depot, which he accepts.
Furious at the turn of events and having to give up some of her land, Kim turns her anger on Joe after the others have gone. She makes him promise he won’t deceive her again, and he gives her his word.
Then Kim makes a vow to unite with Joe and build an unstoppable empire.
