Joe Tate and Caleb Miligan’s bitter feud has been reignited in Emmerdale, with Joe now calling on his trusted ally Graham Foster to dig up dirt on his enemy. Today’s episode (27 July) saw Joe attempt to repair his relationship with his half-brother Noah Dingle, only for Caleb to interfere.

But while Caleb appeared willing to back down when Joe confronted him, his suspicious behaviour quickly left Joe wondering exactly what his half-uncle was hiding. Now, with Graham on the case, Caleb could have trouble on his hands.

Joe’s relationship with Noah has been left under strain for several months. The pair were once close, with Noah keen to build a relationship with his Tate family connections. However, that all changed after Joe drugged and kidnapped him in a desperate attempt to find a kidney donor.

At the time, Joe was suffering from kidney disease and desperately needed a transplant. After discovering Noah wasn’t a match, he turned his attention to Caleb, who was left fighting for his life after Joe arranged for him to be attacked so his kidney could be taken.

Caleb eventually discovered what Joe had done and was understandably furious. The kidney theft became a major source of resentment between the pair, with Caleb determined to make Joe pay for what he had done.

Their feud became even more complicated because Caleb had his own secrets to protect. Joe discovered that Caleb had been involved in the cover-up surrounding Anthony Fox’s death, giving him leverage over his half-uncle.

Caleb, meanwhile, has had plenty of reason to want Joe out of his way. Their conflict has repeatedly threatened to expose the secrets both men are desperate to keep hidden, making their latest clash particularly dangerous.

Joe’s actions against Noah also had devastating consequences beyond their family. His drugging of Noah contributed to the devastating limo crash that killed Leyla Harding, Amy Wyatt and Suzy Merton.

But now, Joe appears ready to put some of that history behind him. Today’s episode began with Joe speaking to Gabby Thomas, who was asking him to keep Dawn away from her relationship with Billy.

Later, Joe called into The Woolpack, where he tried to reconnect with Noah. It was then that Noah revealed he was hoping for a fresh start abroad, and was preparing for an important interview for a job in Germany.

Joe was supportive of his plans and appeared pleased to have the opportunity to rebuild their relationship. However, Caleb was listening in from the bar. He quickly interrupted the conversation – and while Joe initially ignored him, Caleb continued to make his presence felt.

In later scenes, Joe paid Caleb a visit at the depot and warned him not to “poison Noah against” him. Caleb appeared surprisingly agreeable, as he was keen to get Joe out of the depot to protect his counterfeit car part scheme. He wasn’t able to completely cover his tracks, though.

Joe quickly realised that Caleb’s cooperation was out of character, and became convinced his half-uncle had another secret. By the end of the episode, Joe had decided to investigate. Back at Home Farm, he asked his trusted ally Graham to find out exactly what the businessman was up to – and Graham immediately agreed.

The latest development puts Noah back in the middle of their increasingly bitter feud. Joe may genuinely want to repair the bond with his half-brother before it’s too late, but there are no guarantees the pair will ever be able to get along again – particularly due to Caleb’s link to the Dingles, reputed for their vengeful streak.