Kev Townsend disappeared from Emmerdale after a controversial confrontation, but scattered signs suggest he’s not retreating, but plotting a darker comeback than ever.

The first clues began when villagers repeatedly saw a man in a black hat, standing in the distance watching Aaron Dingle’s house.

No one was sure who he was, but the way he stood — steely, silent as if stalking his prey — was enough to send a chill down viewers’ spines.

An Emmerdale insider revealed: Kev is hiding out in the suburbs, away from the police but not leaving the village.

His target is clear — Aaron Dingle, who has forced him to expose the dark corners of his past. The scattered pieces reveal that Kev is planning to “take revenge” on Aaron in an unexpected way: instead of attacking him head-on, he chooses to destroy layers of trust around Aaron.

Some characters in the village begin to receive strange messages, a strange male voice warning “not to interfere in other people’s business”. No one knows if it’s Kev or not, but the cold threats and sophisticated revenge logic are all his hallmarks.

Viewers are left in suspense as characters who have been involved with Kev suddenly encounter misfortune: a car loses its brakes right in front of Marlon’s house; Chas’s mailbox is broken open; Aaron discovers strange shoe prints outside his door. Every little detail is a reminder: Kev is back — and he’s playing them.

Emmerdale is about to embark on its darkest path since Meena. For Kev Townsend, a vengeful and obsessed man, revenge certainly doesn’t stop at “threatening”. Fans are speculating that next episode could be the moment Kev reveals himself, forcing Aaron to face the most dangerous enemy of his life.