Sam and Lydia Dingle have landed themselves in catastrophic trouble in Emmerdale – and fans believe there’s no way back for the pair after Kim Tate was left gravely injured in the woods.
Whatever happens next with Kim’s recovery, viewers are convinced this could be the end of the road for the Dingles at Home Farm.
Sam and Lydia’s betrayal spirals in Emmerdale
Tensions have been rising for weeks thanks to Joe Tate’s harsh treatment of Sam. The pressure finally pushed Sam to breaking point, and although he briefly quit, financial struggles meant he had no choice but to grovel for his job back.
But the problems didn’t stop there. Kim had also begun snapping at Lydia – giving a stingy raffle prize for the Christmas Fayre and generally throwing her weight around. What Lydia didn’t realise was that Kim was secretly orchestrating a huge surprise for her: a live performance from Jason Donovan at the Woolpack.
Believing Kim had turned sour, Lydia agreed to help Sam pull off a dodgy shoot on Home Farm land. The cash was too tempting, especially with the family’s electricity crisis. Lydia kept Kim out of the way while Sam and a group of men carried out the unlicensed shoot – and things quickly got out of hand.
Not only did the session become wild and unsafe, but snares were also laid out for rabbits at Lydia’s suggestion. And it’s these snares that would lead to devastating consequences.
Kim’s horror accident – and she may lose her leg
Vanessa happened upon the dangerous gathering and tipped off Kim, who raced out to confront whoever was trespassing on her land. Saddling up Ice, she headed into the woods – only for disaster to strike.
Ice was caught in a snare. In the chaos, Kim was severely injured too, suffering a serious leg injury that left her unable to move. She lay alone in the woods all night as temperatures dropped, with no way to call for help.
Back at the Manor, Gabby was too hungover to realise anything was wrong. It was only when Joe and Dawn returned that they realised Kim was missing. Alongside a panicked Sam and Lydia, they launched a search and found her close to death.
At the hospital, a horrified Lydia realised the trap that injured Kim was one of the very snares she’d suggested. And the news got worse – Kim might even lose her leg.
Is this the end for Lydia and Sam? Fans think so
With Kim fighting to keep her leg, viewers are convinced there’s no coming back from this betrayal.
Sam’s job seems impossible to save, and with Lydia also involved, she could face the same fate. Their future employment – and their relationship with the Tates – looks bleak.
And when Kim returns home for Christmas, things don’t improve. She has shut everyone out of the house, refusing visitors. When she has another fall, it’s Lydia who rushes to help – but Kim sends her away again, even after she helps her up.
Lydia refuses to leave, but forgiveness looks a long way off.
Social media reaction has been brutal, with viewers turning sharply against the Dingles. “Sam and Lydia, you’re gonna regret doing that to Kim!” one fan warned.
“I hope Queen Kim gets them banged up,” another added. A third complained: “Lydia showed her true mean colours.”
And another viewer summed up the mood: “Not liking Sam and Lydia at all… look how Kim ended up because of her supposed friend.”
Kim’s survival is confirmed in upcoming festive spoilers – but forgiveness? That’s another story entirely.
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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