Christmas in Emmerdale is rarely peaceful, and this year the festive spirit is overshadowed by fear, obsession, and a chilling disappearance. As villagers gather for mulled wine and merriment outside the Woolpack, one man is nowhere to be found—Robert Sugden. His absence sparks fresh alarm, especially as troubling signs suggest a dangerous enemy has slithered back into the village with vengeance on his mind.

A Dangerous Obsession Reignites

Viewers knew Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill) wasn’t the type to bow out gracefully after losing Robert’s affection. Kev, increasingly unstable and driven by a twisted sense of entitlement, had long made it clear he wouldn’t accept Robert returning to Aaron. But rather than lick his wounds and move on, he vanished from the village nursing a dangerous cocktail of heartbreak and fury.

And now, that obsession appears to have turned lethal.

Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller), determined to rebuild his life with a newly returned Robert (Ryan Hawley), has been enjoying the rare calm of a rekindled relationship. The pair, stronger than ever, embarked on a deeply emotional mission: to bring Robert’s son Seb home where he belongs. But this renewed hope may have been exactly the trigger Kev needed to strike again.

Kev previously warned Aaron he intended to “get Robert back,” a threat delivered with quiet menace. Now, lingering at the edges of the village like a storm cloud, he seems to be waiting for the moment to deliver maximum devastation—and Christmas Day offers a perfect target.

A Battle Over Seb Reopens Old Wounds

The return of Seb to the storyline has stirred powerful emotions—not only for Robert and Aaron, but for Ross Barton (Mike Parr), who was deeply connected to Seb through the late Rebecca White. Seb’s birth was complicated even in the early days, the product of Robert’s one-night stand with Rebecca. After Robert was imprisoned in 2020, Rebecca took Seb and cut Aaron out of the little boy’s life entirely.

With Rebecca’s tragic death—revealed by Ross upon his own dramatic return to Emmerdale—Seb has been living with Rebecca’s aunt in Bristol. The revelation that Seb might come home reopens a long-buried chapter for Ross, who thought his last tie to Rebecca was gone forever.

Danny Miller explains that Ross learns about Aaron and Robert’s request through a concerned text from Rebecca’s aunt.

“She asks Ross whether he thinks they should see Seb, and Ross’s reaction is basically ‘absolutely not,’” Miller says. “He doesn’t trust them with Seb because of everything that happened before.”

This sets off a tense stand-off between Ross and the reunited couple. The emotional stakes are high, and so is the anger—especially when Aaron returns to find his car windscreen smashed. All signs point to Ross escalating their feud.

But something doesn’t add up.

When Attacks Turn Sinister

The broken windscreen is just the beginning. Soon, a far more frightening incident leaves Aaron shaken: the trees outside his flat suddenly burst into flames, turning a quiet night into a scene of fiery chaos. Once again, suspicion falls squarely on Ross—until he reveals a solid alibi.

That’s when the penny drops. Someone else is behind these attacks.

Someone watching.

Someone waiting.

When Robert pieces together the clues, the realization is chilling. The true culprit isn’t Ross at all—it’s Kev.

A man whose heartbreak has curdled into obsession. A man both volatile and calculating, capable of anything. A man who once promised to take Robert back “no matter what.”

Christmas Day Turns Dark

Christmas in the village arrives wrapped in twinkling lights, music, and a rare moment of community warmth. There’s laughter. There’s mulled wine. There’s the unmistakable hum of family and festivity.

But one key figure is missing.

Robert slips away early on a mysterious errand, telling no one where he’s going. At first, Aaron assumes he’ll be back within minutes. But minutes turn into hours. Cheers turn into whispers. And Aaron’s confusion shifts into instinctive dread.

Where is Robert?

Why hasn’t he returned?

And did he walk into danger without realizing it?

His sister Vic notices Aaron’s growing panic, and together they begin pacing the village, hoping for any sign that Robert is safe. But as the Christmas lights glow serenely against the darkening sky, the atmosphere thickens with fear.

Something is wrong.

Very wrong.

A Terrifying Twist Awaits Viewers

While actors and producers are remaining tight-lipped about the exact nature of Robert’s disappearance, Danny Miller hints that what unfolds will leave viewers reeling.

“I hope people are as shocked as we were when we read it,” he teases. “We’re being really careful about how much detail we reveal because the impact on-screen is so important. But there are so many moments where you’ll be yelling at the TV—‘Come on, please! Wake up!’ That’s really all I can say…”

The cast have described the upcoming scenes as intense, emotional, and unlike anything the show has done in years.

With Kev’s return looming like a shadow over the festivities, and Robert’s sudden disappearance shaking Aaron to his core, fans are bracing themselves for a Christmas storyline steeped in psychological terror and heartbreak.

What Happens Next?

As the holiday unfolds, the village will be pulled into a gripping mystery: Is Robert missing by choice—or because someone took him? Has Kev finally acted on his obsession? And will Aaron once again be forced into a nightmare where the man he loves is torn from him?

One thing is certain: this Christmas in Emmerdale is about to turn from festive to frightening.

And when the truth finally comes out, nothing for Aaron, Robert, or the wider Dingle family will ever be the same again.