Ray Walters and Celia Daniels continue to pull the strings in Emmerdale – and tonight’s episode shows just how devastating their influence has become. Once again, the Dingle-Goskirks are left reeling as the sinister duo’s actions push another character to the brink of leaving the village.
The poisonous mother-and-son pairing may not be issuing direct orders, but their control is felt everywhere. And as fear spreads, desperate choices are made. The question is: how much further will Marlon and Rhona be forced to go?
WARNING: Emmerdale spoilers follow for the Tuesday December 16 episode, which has not yet aired on ITV but is available on ITVX and YouTube.
Ray and Celia are calling the shots in Emmerdale
Life is unbearable right now for Marlon and Rhona, whose attempts to rid themselves of Ray and Celia have failed at every turn. The couple are living in constant anxiety. Now Dylan regained consciousness and told police he couldn’t remember anything about his accident.
Matters only got worse when Mary returned from her retreat on Monday December 15. Rhona immediately sensed trouble. With her background in journalism, Mary has never been one to accept half-answers – and that makes her a real liability when secrets are involved.
As Marlon and Rhona tried to brush off Dylan’s accident, Mary could tell something wasn’t right. But Rhona’s fear of Ray and Celia kept her silent, which only fuelled Mary’s suspicions even more.
Rhona makes a devastating call
In tonight’s episode, the tension shows no sign of easing. Marlon and Rhona remain deeply unsettled by Ray’s presence, and when Rhona spots him charming Mary, she snaps.
She orders Ray to back off and warns her mum to stay away from him, admitting she doesn’t trust him at all. Mary immediately senses there’s more going on.
Knowing Mary won’t drop the subject – and knowing they can’t risk telling her the truth – Rhona reaches a painful conclusion. The only way to keep everyone safe is to remove Mary from the situation entirely.
Before long, Mary is pressing Rhona for answers, demanding to know what’s really happening. Rhona sticks to her story. But then she drops a bombshell, telling her mum they need space. She claims the house is too crowded and insists Mary must move out.
Mary refuses to accept it at face value. She’s certain Rhona is lying and, furious and hurt, demands the truth. The confrontation escalates until Rhona, desperate to protect her, lashes out. She accuses Mary of being overbearing and says they’re sick of her, ordering her to leave.
Mary is left shattered. She promises she’ll be gone by morning, while Rhona is forced to face the possibility that she’s destroyed her relationship with her mother forever.
With Ray and Celia still lurking in the shadows, where will Mary go next – and can this broken bond ever be repaired?
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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