Emmerdale fans are not giving up hope that Joe Tate could one day be back on our screens.
And they see newcomer – Jamie Tate – as the answer to their prayers.
Jamie, Kim Tate’s son, was last seen on the soap as a tiny toddler in 1999.
But he’s now back as a full-grown man, and his run-ins with mum Kim so far indicate he is not ready to fix their fractured relationship.
But more than that, fans believe he has a big secret.
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Indeed, he was seen acting fairly oddly, and his phone even revealed he had 12 missed calls.
Could the mystery caller be his uncle, Joe? Several fans on Twitter certainly believe so.
One viewer wrote: “Bet you that’s Joe ringing Jamie”
A second asked: “Is Jamie really in cahoots with Joe?”
And a third speculated: “Did anyone else notice Jamie having missed calls from an unknown number? It’s Joe Tate!!! He’s coming home!”
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Of course the soap tried to make out that Joe was killed off last October.
He was shown to be dying after being punched by Cain, as he returned to the village despite Kim having ordered Graham to kill him.
Months later it was revealed that he was indeed alive, but on the run from Kim… and he was being secretly helped out by Graham.
Ned Porteous, who played Joe, has said he won’t return to the role but we’ve heard that before.
What do you think of this fan conspiracy? Let us know what you think on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.