Emmerdale spoilers 21 to 25 September: Buried alive horror and fatal crash confession

Emmerdale delivers a huge week as Joe’s grief over Dawn sends him into terrifying territory, while Vinny finally tells the truth about the crash that killed Jimmy and Dawn. Ruby is left fighting for her life, Caleb reaches for a weapon, Nicola learns who was responsible for Jimmy’s death and Lewis is left fearing what comes next for his relationship.

Elsewhere, Kim tries to hold the Tate family together, Kev becomes increasingly worried about his own lies, Sarah and Jacob receive important news about Leyla, and Carl makes a discovery on Jimmy’s laptop that immediately alarms Nicola.

Joe walks away from Dawn’s burial

Joe struggles to deliver a eulogy for Dawn and eventually finds himself unable to continue. Kim steps in to provide the tribute instead, ending with a vow that she will keep the family together.

The weight of his grief proves too much for Joe and he walks away from the burial.

His absence later causes tension between Kim and Graham as they argue about Joe and the future of the family.

Kev urges Vinny to keep fighting for Lewis

Kev tries to keep Vinny focused on his future with Lewis and urges him to hold himself together.

He encourages Vinny to continue with his plans to marry Lewis rather than allowing everything that has happened to destroy their relationship.

When Vinny says that he intends to do the right thing, Kev appears reassured.

He believes Vinny is talking about making things right with Lewis, but Vinny has another confession he knows he can no longer avoid.

Vinny tells Nicola he caused the fatal crash

Vinny seeks out Nicola and finally reveals the truth he has been carrying. Tearfully, he confesses that he was responsible for the car accident that killed Jimmy and Dawn.

For Nicola, the admission confirms who was responsible for the crash that took her husband’s life.

Vinny’s decision to finally tell her the truth also sets off consequences that will soon spread much further through the village.

Sarah and Jacob get news about Leyla

Sarah and Jacob receive some welcome relief when Ross addresses the uncertainty surrounding Leyla.

He confirms that he has no intention of fighting them for custody, leaving the couple relieved.

The decision removes one major worry hanging over Sarah and Jacob.

After everything they have been dealing with, Ross makes it clear that a custody battle over Leyla is not coming.

Joe reveals his horrifying revenge

Joe later visits a grave and swears vengeance for Dawn’s death, but the scene reveals something far more disturbing.

He has buried Ruby alive inside a coffin.

His grief has now turned into an act of revenge against the people he blames for Dawn’s death.

Ruby remains trapped underground while Joe appears determined to make Caleb suffer.

Caleb reaches for a weapon

Caleb attempts to find a weapon, but Joe laughs at him before revealing exactly what he has done to Ruby.

The news leaves Caleb horrified as Joe confirms that his wife has been buried alive inside a coffin.

Caleb begs Joe to release her, but Joe remains unmoved and continues blaming Caleb for Dawn’s death.

His desperation later turns towards vengeance again, showing how close he is to taking matters into his own hands.

Ruby wakes buried alive

A terrified Ruby wakes inside the coffin and discovers that she cannot escape her confinement.

With no way out, her situation becomes increasingly desperate as she remains trapped underground.

Ruby gradually loses strength and eventually slips into silence. She appears to run out of air, leaving her survival hanging in the balance.

Vinny confesses to Joe

Vinny takes another enormous step when he arrives at Home Farm and tells Joe that he caused the crash which killed Dawn.

After everything Joe has already done in the name of revenge, the confession immediately places Vinny in a frightening position.

Joe reacts with an intense and menacing silence rather than giving Vinny an immediate response.

His reaction leaves everyone around them fearing for Vinny’s safety.

Kim makes a promise to Joe’s baby

Kim visits Joe’s baby in hospital and reflects on Dawn’s life and her own grief.

She vows to protect the child and keep the family together after everything they have lost.

Kim is also determined to prevent Joe from making further mistakes.

With his grief already driving increasingly dangerous decisions, she wants to stop him from causing even more damage.

Moira stops Caleb pursuing vengeance

Caleb is later caught rooting around for a weapon again, this time by Moira.

When she confronts him, he tells her what has happened to Ruby and admits that he is planning vengeance.

Moira manages to convince Caleb that following through with revenge will only destroy his own life. Her intervention forces him to confront what acting on his anger could cost him.

Nicola exposes Vinny in the pub

Gabby stumbles over her words before Nicola interrupts and reveals the truth publicly. In front of the shocked pub, Nicola announces that Vinny caused the fatal accident while he was on the phone to Gabby.

The secret Vinny had been carrying is now known far beyond those he personally confessed to.

Nicola’s announcement ensures there is no hiding from the truth about Jimmy and Dawn’s deaths any longer.

Lewis fears for his future with Vinny

Lewis is left stressed about what everything means for his relationship with Vinny. With the truth about the crash now exposed, the future they had been discussing suddenly looks far less certain.

Kev tries to comfort Lewis as he struggles with what comes next. However, Kev is also beginning to worry about the consequences of his own actions.

Kev fears Nicola discovering his lie

Seeing how emotional Nicola is over Vinny’s involvement in Jimmy’s death leaves Kev increasingly nervous. He knows she still has another truth to discover, because Kev has lied too.

Kev begins fearing what Nicola might do when she learns the full story.

His attempt to protect Lewis has left him with a secret that could now create another major confrontation.

Carl finds voice messages on Jimmy’s laptop

Carl is reeling after learning that Vinny was responsible for Jimmy’s death and reveals that he plans to make a video for his dad’s funeral. He then tells Nicola that he has found voice messages on Jimmy’s laptop.

The discovery immediately causes Nicola to panic and she makes an excuse to take the laptop away from Carl. After everything she has already learned about Jimmy, the voice messages leave another unanswered question hanging over her.

Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.