A dead body is lying undiscovered in the back of a van at the depot in Emmerdale and it has left the village, and viewers at home, with one huge question: does it belong to Ray Walters or Celia Daniels?
With next week set to finally reveal who is wrapped in the tarpaulin, the mystery only deepens. If one body has been found, what exactly has happened to the other?
Ray and Celia supposedly both dead in Emmerdale
On New Year’s Day, Ray Walters finally snapped after years under the control of his cruel and manipulative mother. Celia’s relentless torment, her interference in his relationship with Laurel and her insistence he abandon everything pushed him to breaking point. When Ray discovered she had killed Bear, there was no going back and he stabbed her.
As she lay dying, Celia chillingly told Ray she was proud of him. The last time we saw her, her body was motionless on the kitchen floor as Ray spoke to her, insisting he felt no guilt, only freedom.
Yet since that moment, Celia has seemingly vanished. Joe Tate and the police later visited the farm, but there was no sign of her body, no blood and no evidence of what had taken place.
Ray, meanwhile, went to Laurel believing they could finally be together. But Laurel had seen the truth of who he really was and threw him out, determined never to see him again.
Days later, Ray himself was seen dead, zipped into a body bag and dragged through the village by an unknown figure. His body also disappeared without trace.
That all changed tonight when viewers saw a body wrapped in tarpaulin lying unnoticed in the back of a depot van. Jai was due to drive the van to Manchester, but Caleb told him it could wait until morning, leaving the body where it was. The question remains: whose body is it?
It’s Ray’s body but where is Celia?
Next week, police search the depot as part of their investigation into the drugs allegations. When they open the van, Jai, Caleb and Billy are horrified to discover the body inside. The police quickly confirm it is Ray.
As the last person to use the van, Jai immediately finds himself under suspicion. The pressure mounts further when Caleb begins questioning him, convinced Celia could not be responsible and that the truth lies much closer to home.
Jai insists Celia must have killed Ray, but doubts quickly start to form. The police probe into Jai’s recent divorce from Laurel, while Laurel herself is left reeling when she learns Ray’s body has been found. During questioning, she inadvertently casts further suspicion on Jai.
As gossip spreads through the village, Jai snaps and accuses April, prompting Dylan to storm out. Dylan later admits to April that despite everything Ray did, he did not deserve to die.
It soon becomes clear that several villagers are hiding pieces of the truth. Someone knows exactly what happened to Ray.
And still, the biggest question of all remains unanswered: what has happened to Celia?
Is Celia really dead in Emmerdale?
Fans are now questioning whether Celia actually died at all, especially with no body and no visible evidence left behind. Viewers have been quick to point out the unanswered questions surrounding her disappearance and the suspicious lack of blood when Joe later visited the house.
Social media has been buzzing with theories, with many wondering how Celia’s body could simply vanish and whether someone cleaned up after her supposed murder. Others have questioned how no one noticed any signs if she really had been lying there for days.
All of this has fuelled speculation that Celia may still be alive and that Ray’s death could be linked to her survival rather than her demise.
“Celia‘s still alive, right? I mean TomTit survived an axe in the back…” said one fan.
“I’m thinking Celia isn’t dead and she probably killed Ray and has now done a runner,” agreed someone else. Another said: “Watch Celia not be dead and it’s her who’s killed Ray. Be more a shock though if it’s Bear who’s done it.”
If Celia did survive, where has she gone and how long can she stay hidden before the truth finally comes out?
Read more: Emmerdale fans divided over ‘too dark’ storylines – but poll reveals surprise verdict
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 8pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
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