Emmerdale fans were left stunned as Joe Tate made a dramatic return to the village after a six-year absence.

The character, played by Ned Porteous, 30, resurfaced as part of a plot to overthrow Kim Tate, played by Claire King, 63, and her husband Will Taylor, played by Dean Andrews, 61.

However, as Joe took centre stage in the soap, some viewers were shocked to discover that Ned had previously appeared in EastEnders as Grant Mitchells son.

In 2016, Ned played Mark Fowler Jr, the son of Michelle Fowler (Jenna Russell, 57) and hardman Grant, as well as being Martin Fowler’s (James Bye, 40) cousin.

The character made a surprise entrance, travelling from Florida to London’s East End in search of his real father, Grant. However, his stay in Walford was brief.

Some die-hard EastEnders fans might have forgotten that Michelle Fowler once left the UK for America, keeping Grant unaware that she was pregnant with his child.
Emmerdale fans were left stunned as Joe Tate made a dramatic return to the village after a six-year absence
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Emmerdale fans were left stunned as Joe Tate made a dramatic return to the village after a six-year absence

The character, played by Ned Porteous, 30, resurfaced as part of a plot to overthrow Kim Tate, played by Claire King, 63, and her husband Will Taylor, played by Dean Andrews, 61
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The character, played by Ned Porteous, 30, resurfaced as part of a plot to overthrow Kim Tate, played by Claire King, 63, and her husband Will Taylor, played by Dean Andrews, 61

Mark Jr. was born off-screen in 1996, but it wasn’t until 2016 that viewers saw him arrive in the Square to untangle the web of his paternal roots.

Although his stint on EastEnders was short-lived – Mark Jr. was on-screen for just a month before returning to the US – Ned was thrilled to be part of the iconic show.

He said: ‘Being part of two iconic families and the longest-kept secret in EastEnders history is beyond exciting!’

He added: ‘I’m honoured to be here and can’t wait for viewers to meet Mark Jr.’

Following Joe’s return to Emmerdale, fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their surprise at Ned’s EastEnders connection.

One fan wrote: ‘I didn’t know that Joe [has] been in Bridgerton, and EastEnders as Mark Jnr.’;

‘How have I only just found out Joe Tate in #Emmerdale is played by the same actor that played Mark Fowler Jr in #EastEnders.’

While another added: ‘I didn’t know he’d been in EastEnders.’

However, as joe took centre stage in the soap, some viewers were shocked to discover that Ned had previously appeared in EastEnders as Grant Mitchell's son
+6
View gallery

However, as joe took centre stage in the soap, some viewers were shocked to discover that Ned had previously appeared in EastEnders as Grant Mitchell’s son

In 2016, Ned played Mark Fowler Jr, the son of Michelle Fowler (Jenna Russell, 57) and hardman Grant, as well as being Martin Fowler's (James Bye, 40) cousin
+6
View gallery

In 2016, Ned played Mark Fowler Jr, the son of Michelle Fowler (Jenna Russell, 57) and hardman Grant, as well as being Martin Fowler’s (James Bye, 40) cousin


+6
View gallery

Following Joe's return to Emmerdale, fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their surprise at Ned's EastEnders connection

Following Joe’s return to Emmerdale, fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their surprise at Ned’s EastEnders connection

Meanwhile, another fan expressed their preference for Ned’s EastEnders role: ‘Ned Porteous back as Joe Tate is awesome but I preferred him playing Mark fowler Jr (Mitchell) in EastEnders. We didn’t have him long enough as Grant’s son. #Emmerdale #Eastenders.’

As Emmerdale fans know, Joe’s return to the village has been nothing short of dramatic.

The show took an unexpected twist when Will Taylor succumbed to a heart attack following revelations from Joe.

In the aftermath, a heartbroken Kim is left to rebuild her life, with Joe stepping in as the supportive step-grandson.

However, there are worrying signs that Joe might be struggling with a severe health issue.

Earlier this month, viewers saw Joe in his room at the B&B suddenly falling ill. Distressed, he rummaged through his bag, spilling pill packets onto the bed before taking medication.

He later requested painkillers from Dawn Taylor, played by Olivia Bromley, raising further concerns for Kim.