ITV Emmerdale fans ‘work out’ what Marlon and Laurel are hiding – and it’s not an affair

Fans of are convinced theyve cracked the secret Marlon Dingle and Laurel Thomas are keeping from everyone – and its not a romantic affair.

In a twist that has gripped viewers in recent episodes, Marlons daughter April, portrayed by Amelia Flanagan, vanished after getting into an unknown car, sparking fears and a frantic search. This came after family tensions rose when April discovered the circumstances surrounding her mother Donna’s death, played by Verity Rushworth, which led her down a dark path with alcohol and drugs.

Desperate for answers, Marlon, acted by Mark Charnock, is thrown into turmoil, particularly after Wednesday’s episode on January 1 delivered a startling revelation involving him and Laurel, who is played by Charlotte Bellamy.

A conversation with the police made matters worse when an officer informed Marlon that April had posted videos online suggesting he was having an affair with Laurel. Despite his weak protests, Marlons discomfort was evident.

According to the officer, incriminating text messages were seen by April, information that seemed to catch Marlon off guard. In a tensely negotiated promise, he managed to convince the officer to keep his wife Rhona, Zoe Henrys character, in the dark for now, reports .

But as the pressure mounts, Marlon reached out to Laurel, only to uncover that she too saw the stakes – with Laurel admitting that if the truth emerged, she could “lose everything”.

‘s latest storyline has left viewers scratching their heads, suspecting that the hinted affair between Laurel and Marlon is a bluff. On one Facebook fan group, an eagle-eyed viewer speculated: “I don’t think Marlon and Laurel are having an affair.”

They elaborated that whatever messages were exchanged might be miscons’true’d and asserted, “I think whatever messages they sent could have been read in that way but that wasn’t the intention. I think it’s a red herring.”

In the bustling comments section, fans aired their predictions, with many suspecting Laurel’s sobriety is in jeopardy rather than her engaging in infidelity. One fan conjectured: “Laurel said she could lose everything if it comes out. Could it be her sobriety was at risk or she had a drink?”

Amidst the torrent of theories, another contributor suggested: “Maybe she’s had a drink again. Hope it’s not an affair or that, to be honest.” This sentiment was echoed by another commenter who mused: “I wonder if she got drunk and texted/rang Marlon and he’s been supporting her.”

Fueling further speculation, a fan implied the secretive texting involved code language, leading to April’s misunderstanding: “And that’s what all the texts were about, but they were talking in code so it looked like an affair to April and that’s why Laurel said she’d lose everything if her family found out.”

airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm