First look at Emmerdale murder - but is Malone or Will dead?

The drama escalates as menacing bad boy Malone begs old flame Harriet Finch (Katherine Dow Blyton) not to marry fiancée Will, and spontaneously suggests they flee the village together in secret.

Malone is prime suspect for the hit and run that put Moira Dingle in a coma, and Cain Dingle is hungry for revenge on the man he thinks nearly killed his wife (not realising Jamie Tate is actually responsible).

Eager to escape Cain's wrath, and desperate to rekindle the spark with the vivacious vicar, Malone awaits stunned Harriet's response to his idea they make a fresh start away from Emmerdale.

But Malone is not a man to just sit back so he takes matters into his own hands by attempting to plant drugs in Will's car, presumably as a way of pushing him out of the picture.

However, wily Will catches him in the act and a huge showdown between the love rivals ensues.

Emmerdale are keeping the fatal outcome of the skirmish under wraps until the episode airs on Friday 24th July, but a teasing image just released shows a lifeless body on the ground at the garage - so who has perished? And can you identify the corpse from just a pair of shoes?

ITV soap boss John Whiston confirmed the killing was in the works in an interview with Sky News back in June, shortly after Emmerdale became the first continuing drama in the UK to resume filming after the coronavirus pandemic forced production to shut down for several weeks.

Strict new safety measures are now in place on set, providing challenges for cast and crew who have adapted to government guidelines to make studios Covid-safe, while ensuring the content is not compromised.

"In terms of normal stuff that goes on in soaps, we'll have to socially distance murders," he said. "And we have one coming up in Emmerdale quite soon…"

Speculation has been rife among fans as to the identity of the unlucky local, but as we've seen before it's always advised to expect the unexpected when it comes to Emmerdale - the soap loves a twist, so even though it may look as if it's between Malone and Will, might a third character enter the fray at the wrong time and end up dead?

What if the bad boys accidentally murder someone else who gets caught in the crossfire and must unite to cover it up? Could it be Harriet herself who is the victim of their feud?

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.