Emmerdale airs another special episode tonight, as April Windsor and Marlon Dingle take centre stage in emotional scenes. With April currently at breaking point after her recent ordeals, will she finally be honest with her dad about what’s been going on?

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The latest episode strays from Emmerdale‘s usual storytelling style, focusing solely on April’s plot throughout. April, Marlon and scheming villain Ray Walters are the only characters who appear. And as Ray’s involvement is only brief, most of the episode is focused on a long-awaited heart-to-heart between April and Marlon.

April heads to see Marlon at Smithy Cottage, having been isolated from her family recently after the drugs incident involving her younger brother Leo.

This comes at a key point in April’s ongoing exploitation story. She’s struggling under the pressure of having to deal drugs for Ray and his mum Celia Daniels, and traumatised with the bullying she’s faced to sleep with their male clients against her will.

Related: Emmerdale star Ryan Hawley reveals threat to life amid “high stakes” Christmas for Robert and Aaron

April’s also wary of Ray and Celia having more leverage over her than ever, after she lashed out and seemingly killed sleazy “client” Callum in self-defence last week.

Overwhelmed by everything, April contemplates opening up to her dad in the special standalone episode. Will she go through with it? And how will Marlon react if she does?

Exact details of the episode had been kept under wraps ahead of broadcast, with the show only confirming its plans to explore the damaged relationship between April and Marlon.

Marlon has been worried about April for some time, although has no idea what she’s faced since moving out. Can Marlon fight to save his child and keep his family together?

Mark Charnock, who plays Marlon, recently told us: “There’s a twist in it that will stagger the audience! April turns up at the house and he’s on his own and the episode begins.

“It’s lovely actually, with them rediscovering the younger version of her and how that was for them when she was really little.

“The first act, if you like, is about him rediscovering his daughter. The daughter he knew before everything tragic that happened to her, and her rediscovering not only her dad but that part of herself too, so it’s really something.”

He continued: “I was absolutely buzzing. It’s thrilling, it’s flattering to be trusted with an episode and to work with Amelia in that way. It’s an absolutely outstanding script, it’s an absolute gift for an actor.

“We did nearly all of the scenes over a two day period so it was essentially in one location. It was really rewarding and really intense given the nature of the story. There comes a point in it where you just kind of think: ‘I hope this turns out as well as the script deserves’. But yeah, it was an incredible experience.”

Although the episode is now streaming early on ITVX and YouTube, Digital Spy has agreed not to spoil the twist ahead of the ITV1 airing this evening.