Is Will Taylor dead after Emmerdale beating?

Tension mounted on Monday 4th May for Cain and accomplice Billy as they were stopped by the police en route from collecting a hefty drugs consignment. Shocked to see two-faced Malone himself demand their vehicle be searched, Cain and Billy realised the whole thing was a set-up and they were going to be arrested - only to be released without incident and escape reprisals when Malone discovered the car was mysteriously empty. Where are the drugs?

Fuming Malone later confronted Will and accused him of blowing the whistle to protect his partners in organised crime - in a chilling scene at a deserted roadside a bunch of thugs arrived and dished out a vicious beating to Mr Taylor, while Malone calmly watched from his car (not wanting to get his own hands dirty, of course) as his fall guy begged for his life. So does Will die?

RadioTimes.com can reveal he survives the savage attack, and staggers home battered and bruised on Wednesday 6th May having been missing all night, much to the horror of lover Harriet Finch and daughter Dawn Taylor.

Will is taken to hospital but suspicious Harriet demands to know how he got in this state in the first place.

Terrified of what Malone might do, Will keeps quiet. However, ex-undercover cop-turned-vicar Harriet is no fool and sets out on a mission to discover what - or who - her other half has got involved with.

Viewers know Finch and Malone have history from her pre-dog collar days in the force. At a secret meeting last week there was the distinct air of sexual chemistry between the pair when Harriet sought out her former colleague for info on Will's old gang potentially jeopardising custody of his grandson Lucas.

Some furtive looks, and loaded dialogue about burying the past and romantic regret, gave viewers the feeling they shared more than just a kitchen and a biscuit barrel at the local nick when they worked together…

Has Malone targeted Will purely to get back at Harriet if they had a romance that turned sour? Was she the one that got away for the dastardly DI? Did she dump Malone for Will during her undercover sting where she crossed the line and started sleeping with the man she was meant to bring down?

Visit our dedicated Emmerdale page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV guide.