New Year’s Eve in Emmerdale should have been a happy moment for Sarah Sugden and Jacob Gallagher, a couple once considered the village’s “light in the darkness.”

But the new year 2026 begins with a series of events that leave viewers speechless.

As fireworks go off, Sarah shines in a simple white dress while Jacob holds her hand under the warm lights, but just minutes later, that smile fades as the terrible secret about their unborn child begins to leak.

For weeks, Charity Dingle has kept the surrogate for Sarah and Jacob’s baby a secret from the entire village, but whispers in The Woolpack pub gradually reveal: is the baby really theirs, or is it the result of another illicit relationship?

That question turns the New Year’s party into hell. Jacob tried to appear calm, but his eyes betrayed his hurt. Sarah trembled as Charity entered, her face pale, as if about to confess.

The climax came when Sarah screamed, “I don’t want to hear any more!” and ran out of the café, her tears mingling with the early year rain. Jacob chased after her, embracing her in the deserted street. They could only cry. They loved each other, but now a wall of secrets stood between them. Fans called this “New Year Nightmare”—a beautiful yet painful opening, promising intense emotional drama throughout Emmerdale’s new season.