Joe Tate’s life in Emmerdale has been shaped by devastating loss – starting with the brutal murder of his mum, Rachel Hughes.
Rachel was a major presence in Emmerdale for more than a decade, and her death in 1999 remains one of the soap’s most harrowing storylines.
Joe was just a small child when Rachel was killed, and the aftermath would define the rest of his life. So what exactly happened to Rachel Hughes – and how did Joe Tate lose his beloved mum?
Joe Tate’s mum Rachel Hughes arrives in Emmerdale
The Hughes family arrived in Emmerdale in 1988. Mum Kate moved into the village with her teenage children Rachel, 17, and Mark, 15. Kate later married Joe Sugden, a decision that didn’t sit well with Mark.
Rachel’s life quickly became turbulent. On her 18th birthday, she began an affair with married man Pete Whiteley. The relationship ended in tragedy when Pete was killed after Kate ran him over while driving drunk.
Affair with Chris Tate and the birth of Joe
Rachel’s brother Mark was killed in the infamous 1993 plane crash, the same accident that left Chris Tate paralysed. Rachel began helping Chris with swimming lessons, and their bond soon turned into an affair.
Chris’s wife Kathy caught them kissing and, in a moment of rage, slammed Rachel’s head against a wall. Despite the hostility, Rachel later discovered she was pregnant with Chris’s baby.
She gave birth to Joseph Mark Tate in December 1994 – on the very same day her stepfather Joe Sugden died. Joe was named in his honour. In a surprising twist, Kathy supported Rachel during the birth, and the two women put their differences aside, with Kathy becoming Joe’s godmother.
Chris and Rachel married in December 1995, but their relationship was far from stable. Chris wanted another child, while Rachel didn’t – secretly going on the pill. Their marriage eventually collapsed after Chris stole confidential information from her workplace. Rachel was granted full custody of Joe.
Rachel later had another affair with married Jack Sugden, but he ultimately returned to his wife, Sarah.
Graham woos Rachel – and everything changes
After taking a job as a secretary at Hotton Comprehensive, Rachel met teacher Graham Clark. He moved in with her, but his controlling behaviour soon became impossible to ignore.
It started subtly – rearranging furniture and her CD collection – before escalating. Graham tried to give away her clothes and arranged for her appearance to be completely changed. Rachel agreed, only to be horrified when she realised he’d remodelled her to look like his late wife Rebecca, who he claimed had taken her own life.
Their relationship became increasingly toxic. Graham wanted children and expected Rachel to become a housewife. When she refused, he planted drugs on her to get her sacked. He also began making plans for them to move away, despite Rachel repeatedly insisting she was staying in the village.
Rachel confided in Eric Pollard that she planned to leave Graham and intended to tell him during a picnic.
The tragic death of Joe Tate’s mum Rachel Hughes in Emmerdale
Sensing what Rachel was about to do, Graham proposed to her. Feeling trapped, she accepted. But when he started talking about moving their wedding down south, Rachel finally snapped and told him she wasn’t leaving.
Realising she was in danger, Rachel tried to run. Graham chased her to the clifftop, where the truth finally emerged – his first wife hadn’t taken her own life at all. Graham had killed her.
Panicking, Graham pushed Rachel off the cliff, killing her.
He returned to the village pretending they’d been playing a game to see who could get back first. When Rachel didn’t return, a search party was launched. The next morning, Jack Sugden found her body. Her death was initially ruled an accident.
Graham is exposed
Eric Pollard knew Rachel had planned to leave Graham and suspected foul play. As suspicion grew, Graham – now involved with Kathy Glover – persuaded her to leave the village with him.
During a heated argument in the car, Graham grabbed the steering wheel, leaving the vehicle teetering on the edge of a cliff. He confessed to killing Rachel. Kathy managed to escape, but Graham remained in the car as it plunged off the cliff and exploded.
What happened to Joe Tate after Rachel’s death?
Joe was only four years old when his mum died. He went to live with his father Chris Tate, but tragedy struck again in 2003 when Chris died. Joe was then taken in by his aunt Zoe Tate, and the pair emigrated to New Zealand in 2005.
Joe eventually returned to Emmerdale in 2017 under the alias Tom Waterhouse, before leaving again in 2018. He made his dramatic comeback in 2024 – carrying with him the legacy of a childhood marked by loss, trauma and tragedy.
With such a devastating past, it’s no wonder Joe Tate remains one of Emmerdale’s most haunted characters.
Read more: Emmerdale fans divided over ‘too dark’ storyline – but poll reveals surprise verdict
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
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