Episode 8360/8361 (8th January 2019)

''Mandy produces a letter which raises questions over Paddy's paternity but leaves Emmerdale without telling Paddy the real reason for her visit. Elsewhere, one of the Dingle pigs is slaughtered which leaves Belle convinced Lachlan is terrorizing her. Also, Debbie reports Joe missing.''

Plot
Marlon bumps into Paddy in Main Street and tries to establish if Mandy has spoken to him yet. After concluding she hasn't, Marlon ushers Paddy into the pub then takes Mandy to the café to prevent from her talking to her ex-husband. At Wishing Well Cottage, animal loving Vinny asks to feed the Dingle pigs. Vinny reminds Sam of Paddy. Mandy realises Marlon is trying to stop her seeing Paddy although Marlon denies it. Sam and Lydia have gotten all the Whingles brewing equipment out and they suggest Belle could starting making ale again but Belle refuses as it brings back too many bad memories of Lachlan. Belle opens a belated birthday card. Although there's no name on the card, Belle is convinced it's from Lachlan. Matty informs Moira he's going to phone to see where he is on the list for the top surgery. Belle believes Lachlan is responsible for the dead flowers and the anonymous text and is also somehow behind the break in so she decides to call the police. As Paddy heads into the shop, he walks into Vinny and the pair talk. Victoria asks Matty if he's worried about top surgery as it's a big operation. Matty insists it'll be worth it. Megan informs Graham that she's got a client who wants a full wedding package at Home Farm and suggests they could work together again. Graham agrees. Megan warns him there will be alcohol around although Graham insists he'll be fine. A frantic Belle shows PC Swirling the card and dead flowers. PC Swirling isn't convinced Lachlan's behind it but agrees to look into it. Marlon chases after Mandy as she heads into the pub to see Paddy. Paddy isn't in but Chas is and she demands they start talking. Marlon blurts out Mandy is here to tell Paddy he's got a son which leaves Chas stunned. Mandy laughs off Marlon's theory that Vinny is Paddy's son then explains she's here because she found a letter addressed to Paddy's mum Barbara inside the frame of a photo of the wrestler Bear Wolf. Megan calls by Mulberry Cottage to ask Laurel for advice regarding Graham's alcoholism and signs she should look out for. Laurel warns Megan about lying, insisting she needs to be certain Graham is being honest with himself. Matty speaks with the clinic and learns his operation is scheduled for April. Victoria is delighted for him. Faith spots Debbie speaking with a flirty customer when he returns to pick up his car so makes Richard aware Debbie is single. After the customer leaves, Debbie asks Faith what she's playing at insisting it's too soon. Marlon reads the letter to Barbara. It's a love letter from the wrestler Bear Wolf. As both Paddy's parents are long dead, Marlon doesn't see the point in telling Paddy until Mandy points out the date on the postmark. It's dated September 1968 - about nine months before Paddy was born. Debbie spots a delivery woman trying to deliver a package to Jacobs Fold so informs her nobody lives there anymore. The package is for Debbie so the delivery woman hands it to her. Debbie opens the package and gets a shock when she realises it's from Joe.

Debbie storms up to Home Farm and demands to see Graham. Priya states he isn't in although she does give Debbie an explanation about the package - Joe arranged for different presents to be delivered each week to build up to a cruise he was taking her on but she forgot to cancel this one. Debbie demands to know when Joe arranged this. When Priya reveals it was the day before the masquerade ball, Debbie asks her to recall if anything weird happened at the masquerade ball. Priya reveals Graham was acting strangely and shut himself and Joe in the kitchen for ages but so doesn't know anymore. Marlon doesn't think they should tell Paddy that Bear Wolf might be his father but Chas insists he has a right to know. When Paddy returns home, he sees Chas, Marlon and Mandy have been looking up Bear Wolf online and starts reminiscing. PC Swirling returns to Wishing Well Cottage and informs Belle there's no evidence to directly link Lachlan to the flowers or card although the prison is putting extra precautions in place anyway. Paddy reminisces about the summers his family spent following Bear Wolf around on tour - his dad was depressed but when the wrestling started, he came alive. Megan doesn't think it's fair on Graham to hold events with alcohol at Home Farm. Graham tells Megan she's going to have to trust him and insists he doesn't want to drink. Vinny is awestruck when Mandy introduces him to Paddy and explains Paddy is a vet. Moments later, Mandy gets a message saying her lift has arrived. Everyone is surprised to find a flash sports car and a handsome man waiting for Mandy outside. Mandy greets the man with a kiss then the man and Vinny put the bags into the boot whilst Mandy says her goodbyes. Lydia receives a call from Sam and she and Belle rush off. As Mandy, Vinny and her man are driving off, Vinny asks Mandy why she didn't tell Paddy the real reason she came to see him. Mandy says it wasn't the right time. Priya mentions to Graham that Debbie was asking questions about Joe and the masquerade ball. Belle and Lydia rush back to Wishing Well Cottage to find Sam covered in blood. Sam explains Gloria the pig has been killed. Marlon doesn't think it's the right time to tell Paddy about Barbara's letter although Chas cannot keep it from him. Belle is more convinced than ever that Lachlan is terrorizing her. Matty informs Moira his surgery will be in April. Moira is happy for him but struggles with the thought of Matty having an operation. PC Swirling asks Belle and Sam if there's anyone other than Lachlan who could have some grudge against them. They deny it. Belle decides to visit Lachlan to get some answers. Moira finds Cain standing at the side of the road staring into a field. Cain admits he doesn't know who he is anymore. At Pollard's Barn, Debbie shows Faith the card from Joe. She asks Faith to think back to the day of the masquerade ball and see if anything seemed odd as something must've happened to make Joe disappear. Cain tells Moira this is the spot where Zak whacked him over the head and left him for dead. He comments at least he knew who he was back then. Moira tells Cain he was a thug although Cain believes that's better than being a murderer. Chas heads through to the backroom to tell Paddy about Barbara's letter but she decides against it when she finds Paddy looking through pictures of his mum and dad. Debbie walks into the police station and reports Joe as a missing person.

Regular cast

 * Marlon Dingle - Mark Charnock
 * Paddy Kirk - Dominic Brunt
 * Mandy Dingle - Lisa Dingle
 * Belle Dingle - Eden Taylor-Draper
 * Lydia Hart - Karen Blick
 * Sam Dingle - James Hooton


 * Brenda Walker - Lesley Dunlop
 * Laurel Thomas - Charlotte Bellamy
 * Debbie Dingle - Charley Webb
 * Matty Barton - Ash Palmisciano
 * Moira Dingle - Natalie J Robb
 * Sarah Sugden - Katie Hill
 * Cain Dingle - Jeff Hordley
 * Isaac Dingle - Bobby Dunsmuir (uncredited)
 * Kyle Winchester - Huey Quinn (uncredited)
 * Jack Sugden - Seth Ball (uncredited)
 * Victoria Barton - Isabel Hodgins
 * Megan Macey - Gaynor Faye
 * Graham Foster - Andrew Scarborough
 * Chas Dingle - Lucy Pargeter
 * Faith Dingle - Sally Dexter
 * Noah Dingle - Jack Downham
 * Priya Kotecha - Fiona Wade

Guest cast

 * Vinny - Bradley Johnson
 * Richard - Paul Luebke
 * PC Swirling - Andy Moore

Locations

 * Main Street
 * The Woolpack - Exterior, front corridor, bar, backroom, staff corridor and kitchen
 * Wishing Well Cottage - Yard and living room/kitchen
 * Café Main Street - Interior
 * Butlers Farm - Kitchen
 * David's Shop - Exterior
 * Barton and Dingle Automotives - Forecourt
 * Mulberry Cottage - Living room and kitchen
 * Church Lane
 * Jacobs Fold - Front garden
 * Home Farm - Entrance way, kitchen and living room
 * Robblesfield Way
 * Pollard's Barn - Living room
 * Hotten Police Station - Reception