ITV Emmerdale villager 'pretending to be Nate' as death 'sealed' - and it's not John Sugden

Emmerdale fans are convinced that Nate Robinson has met a grim fate, suspecting an unlikely villager of pretending to be him.

Nate, portrayed by Jurell Carter, made his last appearance on the show recently after coming head-to-head with his father Cain Dingle, played by Jeff Hordley. He was wrongfully accused of kissing his stepmother Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb), a misunderstanding arising from her health woes, which transpired to be a brain tumour diagnosis.

Prior to this bombshell, Nate had secured employment in Scotland, aligning with Jurell Carter's departure from the popular ITV programme. He had shared these plans with his spouse Tracy Metcalfe (Amy Walsh), who intended to move there with their daughter Frankie.

Nevertheless, when the 'false' allegations about Nate and Moira surfaced, even Tracy's trust wavered, animating her to insist on Nate's exit. Subsequently, throughout the week, Nate's whereabouts remained a mystery; many characters endeavoured to reach him without success.

READ MORE: ITV Emmerdale's Ross Barton star breaks silence as return to 'shake up village' confirmed

READ MORE: ITV Emmerdale's Claire King life - brutal marriage split, real name and co-star husband

Twists escalated after Tracy discovered the 'kiss' with Moira never happened, realising she had banished Nate unjustly, leading to a natural outpouring of heartache. In the episode broadcast on September 16, a sorrowful turn took place as Tracy received a text from Nate claiming he had arrived in Scotland, reports Leeds Live. The message read: "Settled in. Heads a mess don't call me I'll call you when I'm ready," leaving her visibly distressed.

Emmerdale enthusiasts are convinced that Nate is no longer alive and someone else has taken control of his phone to impersonate him. Theories are swirling among the fanbase, with some suspecting the enigmatic John Sugden (played by Oliver Farnworth) might be linked to Nate's vanishing act, while others speculate a different culprit.

On social media, fans have been vocal with their suspicions, suggesting that the notorious Tom King (portrayed by James Chase), who has been tormenting Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) recently, could be involved.

A fan on an Emmerdale Facebook group speculated: "Come on now, someone has Nate's phone and texting Tracy so I really feel that he is dead." Echoing this sentiment, another commented: "Don't think it was Nate....someone got his phone." A third added: "It's not Nate texting her I reckon it's Tom."

One more viewer expressed certainty: "Tom's done something to Nate! ! " Another suggested: "Seems strange that he's text saying don't contact him he will contact Tracy first... You might be on to something here as Tom is such a nasty character."

Another chimed in with skepticism: "yup don't think Nate sent that message," while another remarked: "Nate's character wasn't the most impactful but what a sh**e exit! I'm hoping Tom or John's killed him and texting Tracy."

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm