An Emmerdale favourite has been let go and is now battling financial troubles.
Emmerdale fans are set to be devastated after a much-loved character ends up getting fired.
Warning: spoilers ahead.
In Thursday’s episode of the popular ITV soap — already available on ITVX — Sam Dingle and Belle Dingle were still scrambling to raise enough cash to buy tickets for Lydia Dingle’s cherished Jason Donovan concert.
On Wednesday, Sam had suggested stealing Christmas trees from Home Farm, explaining that selling 20 trees for £50 each would cover the concert tickets and pay for fixing the cottage’s electrics. As Home Farm’s gamekeeper, Sam was confident that Kim Tate and Joe Tate would never suspect him, and he talked a hesitant Belle into helping.
On Thursday, their plan went ahead — until Joe caught them out. After turning up at Wishing Well Cottage to investigate the missing trees and threatening to involve the police, he noticed foliage outside and quickly realised Sam and Belle were behind it.
Turning the tables, Joe summoned Sam to Home Farm and claimed he’d contacted the police because protected Crossbill birds had been nesting in the stolen trees and their nests had now been destroyed.
Joe explained that the birds were a protected species, which meant the fines would be huge — and the person responsible for taking the trees could even face up to six months in prison.
A terrified Sam quickly owned up and apologised, only for Joe to reveal he’d been bluffing.
“I know it was you,” Joe said. “I found one of the trees in one of your outbuildings.”
“What I can’t understand is why you’d steal from us,” Joe said. “After everything I’ve done for your family — for you — I genuinely thought we were…”
He cut himself off before adding sharply: “I don’t want your apologies. I want you gone!” He then made it clear: “You’re fired!”
Later on, a heartbroken Sam tried to drink away his misery in The Woolpack with Belle. “I’m meant to be the man of the house now, aren’t I?” he said sadly. “I can’t even afford to buy my wife a couple of tickets — I can’t get her anything!” He then stormed out in frustration.
Joe then walked into the pub, prompting Belle to confront him for sacking Sam. “He made a mistake,” she told him firmly. “He’s broke, alright? We all are. The house needs rewiring, and all he was trying to do was make a bit of cash so he could buy Lydia those VIP Jason Donovan tickets.”
Joe insisted he would’ve lent Sam the money if he’d just asked, but Belle shot back: “He’s proud and embarrassed. Are you seriously so wealthy that you can’t see that?”
Belle then suggested a solution, explaining she had a client in Manchester who owned a hotel and was looking for Christmas trees. “You’re not going to lose out, are you?” she added.
Whether Sam gets his job back — and whether Joe softens — remains to be seen…
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