Emmerdale fans are reeling after tonight’s explosive episode delivered one of the soap’s biggest twists yet, as ‘murdered’ Callum had made a jaw-dropping return from the dead.

Viewers were left open-mouthed as the supposedly dead punter, who April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) believed she had killed last week, appears to be alive and well.

April is still struggling to cope, haunted by the belief that she has killed Callum. Having been manipulated for weeks by drug dealer Ray Waters, the terrified teen is desperate and vulnerable.

April’s guilt spirals out of control (Picture: ITV)

Ray plays on her guilt, pretending to show concern as he tells her he ‘needs someone up in Newcastle’ to run things for him, adding that it would be good for her to ‘get away and clear her head.’

Convinced that she’s done something terrible and that the move might help her family, April reluctantly agrees, but only on one condition: that it’s ‘just dealing and nothing else.’

Still desperate to protect her loved ones, she packs up to leave. Before going, she shares an emotional goodbye with Leo, tearfully telling him she’s ‘done something stupid’.

It’s a heartbreaking moment that shows just how much control Ray still has over her, and how far April will go to shield her family from the truth.

But just when it seems April is gone for good, Emmerdale pulls the rug out from under viewers.

Ray meets up with a mysterious man, and to everyone’s shock, it’s Callum, very much alive.

In a chilling exchange, Ray tells him, ‘April won’t be causing any more trouble,’ confirming that he’s been manipulating her from the start.

The revelation leaves fans gobsmacked. April never killed anyone; the entire ‘murder’ was a twisted lie designed by Ray to keep her under his control.

Social media instantly exploded with reactions. Some fans had seen it coming, with one viewer posting earlier in the week: ‘I wouldn’t be shocked if that Callum lad wasn’t even dead.’ Another predicted: ‘I bet you Callum is alive.’

Meanwhile, Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) remains unaware of the nightmare his daughter has been trapped in. The past year has been ‘really dark’ for the pair, with Marlon struggling to understand why April has been so distant.

Speaking recently on This Morning, Mark Charnock revealed: ‘They’ve not been communicating. Because of everything she’s been going through, she’s protecting him by not telling him. She’s killed a man in self-defence.’

Tuesday’s episode finally sees Marlon begin to uncover the truth, but not before another heart-stopping twist.

The harrowing dream sequence

In shocking scenes, Ray stormed into Smithy Cottage and shot Marlon dead in front of April.

The heart-wrenching moment as April cradles her father’s body, sobbing, left fans utterly devastated. But then, in classic Emmerdale style, the truth comes crashing in: none of it actually happened.

The horrifying scene was part of April’s imagination, a nightmare vision of what she fears might happen if she tells Marlon the truth about what she’s done.

It’s an emotional, beautifully acted scene that shows just how much pain and fear April has been living with and how desperately she wants to be free of Ray’s grip.

Ray’s web of lies

The twist ending makes it clear that Ray has been orchestrating everything. By convincing April that she killed Callum, he’s been able to manipulate her into silence and obedience, while keeping Callum hidden away the entire time.

As the truth comes out, fans are furious at Ray’s deceit and praising Amelia Flanagan’s incredible performance. ‘That girl deserves every award,’ one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).