After years in prison, Robert Sugden finally returns to Emmerdale.

But the way he appears leaves the village feeling more uneasy than happy.

There’s that same smile, that same confident walk – but anyone who looks closely can see that Robert’s eyes are hiding something unsaid.

As revealed in the early release on ITVX, Robert has a shocking secret about his old prison friend – Kev Townsend.

Despite pretending not to know him, Robert secretly meets Kev, even hiding him in his house to avoid detection. Victoria begins to wonder: “Why are you sneaking around? Who is Kev, Robert?” And from there, everything starts to fall apart.

What makes the audience shudder is how pitiful and dangerous Robert is. He wants to make amends, but lies to protect himself. Maybe he’s hiding something from his time in prison — a debt, a crime, or even a shady relationship. Robert’s silence when Vic confronted him was a nerve-wracking scene. Many fans believe this is a “post-prison Robert” — a man who’s trying to act normal but is actually living in torment and fear. The big question is: can Robert start over, or will his lie to Kev drag him back to hell?