ITV Emmerdale fans ‘rumble’ what really happened to Joanne as Ella murder secret exposed

Emmerdale finally offered an insight into mysterious newcomer Ella Forster’s secret on Thursday’s episode and fans think they’ve rumbled the truth.

The new character made a dramatic debut in the village earlier this year as she poured a drink over her boss Jules, quitting her job on the spot while standing up for Mandy Dingle at a vets social. Since then, Ella has landed a job as a receptionist at the surgery and struck up a romance with co-worker doctor Liam Cavanagh.

However, Ella has soon left viewers suspicious as it’s clear she’s hiding something with her behaviour raising eyebrows at times. In recent episodes, Ella has sparked concern in the village after it was revealed she was sleeping in her car and upon moving into Liam’s after he learnt the news, she snapped at close friend Mandy when she saw her looking at an old photo. In further suspicious behaviour, Ella recently refused to be photographed at the village fete and dashed off.

Last week, Ella’s secret was hinted at even more as she went to visit a mystery old lady called June Phillips with dementia at a care home. Together they looked at an old photo album, where they stopped at an old picture of the old lady working with all the girls at a cigarette factory. During the scene, Ella revealed she had been visiting for a while and they both commented on how lucky they were to have each other.

However, in a heartbreaking moment, the old lady forgot as she repeated herself again asking to look at the photo album to which Ella replied: “Who cares, it’s our thing, we love it!” In a hint at Ella’s secret, the old lady asked: “Were we once very sad about something?” Yet in devastating scenes the next day, Ella learnt that the old lady had died overnight and it was revealed that she wasn’t related to her, sparking further mystery.

On Thursday’s episode, Ella attended June’s funeral but made sure to keep her distance from June’s family as she watched from a distance and instead visited the spot where June’s grave was to be. Ella said: “This is stupid, it’s just an empty hole you’re not even in there. I know you wouldn’t want me here but I had to, it wouldn’t have been right for me to go in there. I don’t want to hurt anyone, not again – even this is more than I deserve. I hope you find some peace now both of you… I am so sorry… for everything” to which a camera panned onto a double grave.

After spotting Ella at the care home last week due to visiting a patient there, doctor Manpreet Sharma mistook the old lady for Ella’s mum and decided to tell Liam that she was attending her mother’s funeral. This prompted Liam to head to the funeral in support of his girlfriend but was confused to find her not there.

As the episode ended, other members of the funeral party grilled Liam as to who he is and why he was in attendance. An oblivious Liam explained he was there for June’s daughter Ella, leaving June’s family confused as they pointed out June’s daughter was dead. Fearing Liam was an intruder, things started to escalate until Ella appeared and tried to stop things getting physical.

This prompted June’s furious family to shout at Ella, with it revealed that isn’t her actual name, as they said: “It should be you in that hole, not her! You’re scum, you’re a murderer, child killer!” to which a camera panned onto the grave next to June’s, where it appeared to be her late daughter as it read “Joanne Phillips, 3rd March 1994 to 22nd August 2005”. Taking to Twitter, now X, viewers were quick to predict what had happened.

Earlier this week, a clue pointed to Ella having a link to serial killer Meena Jutla, who is currently in prison serving a life sentence for several murders of village residents, including the daughter of Ella’s partner Dr Liam Cavanagh. Taking to Reddit, one fan noticed a big clue about who the real ‘Ella’ is. Sharing a photo of a newspaper by Ella’s bag featuring Meena on it, they wrote: “I couldn’t help but notice this in last night’s episode. It’s a news paper with Meena’s charges as front page news. This has to be an old article since it just doesn’t make sense for it to make the headlines years after it happened (especially since it seems to be talking about either her being charged or sentenced), and since they were next to Ella’s handbag, it’s fairly safe to assume it’s hers. What would she be doing with an old newspaper about Meena? Maybe I’m reading too deep into this.”

Taking to social media, one person predicted after Thursday’s big reveal: “Meena is the real killer not Ella .. My guess childhood friends & .. 1. Meena was the one who actually killed Joanne and framed Ella for it or 2. Meena forced Ella to kill Joanne Why else would they suddenly show us this newspaper about Meena, Ben, Andrea & Leanna? #Emmerdale” while another added: “So why was there a newspaper next to Ella’s bag the other day with a picture of meena on it ? Was she in prison with her ? #emmerdale.”

Emmerdale airs every week night at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.