Just when it seemed Emmerdale couldn’t get any more dramatic, the secret Charity Dingle had been hiding finally exploded.

In the latest episode, Mackenzie Boyd – her husband – discovers that the child Charity is pregnant with isn’t Jacob and Sarah’s, as she claimed, but the result of a fleeting affair with Ross Barton.

When Mack confronts Charity in the kitchen, the atmosphere is thick with tension – he throws his phone down on the table and asks only one question: “Who is he?”

Charity bursts into tears, confessing everything.

She says it was a mistake, that she only wanted to help Sarah and Jacob have a child, but fate took a different turn. Mack is speechless, then laughs bitterly: “You’ve not only destroyed your own family, you’ve destroyed the next generation.” He leaves, leaving Charity slumped over, clutching her stomach, tears streaming down her face.

The episode’s final scene shows Mack driving out of the village in the dead of night, while Charity sits alone looking at an old photo of them. ITV confirmed that this episode recorded a record-breaking viewership for the month – not only because of the shocking twist, but also because Emma Atkins’ (Charity) performance was praised as “emotionally powerful.” Fans commented unanimously: “This is Charity Dingle’s most vulnerable moment, but also her most genuine.”