Emmerdale confirms shocking Serena and John twist we didn’t see coming

| Soaps Reporter Published July 17, 2026 8:58am Updated July 17, 2026 9:00am Serena Sugden told a huge lie (Pictures: ITV) The following article contains spoilers from the episode of Emmerdale dated July 17. It hasn’t aired on ITV1 yet, but can be viewed on ITVX and YouTube. Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) took it upon herself to find out what Serena Sugden (Casey Al-Shaqsy) was hiding in Emmerdale today – and the information she discovered was very damning indeed. This week, Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) became absolutely convinced that Serena was up to something when Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) was knocked down by a rolling trailer. Serena just so happened to be the first person to find Robert, and Aaron believed it was because she had set the whole thing up. Serena and Robert’s relative, John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), would often create dangerous situations for people, and then swoop in to save them. He loved the feeling he’d gain afterwards as people praised him for being a hero, and Aaron was convinced that Serena searched for the same. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Unable to actually prove his theory that Serena tampered with the trailer, Aaron headed to the pub and ranted to Chas about his new house mate. They agreed to keep an eye on Serena and in the latest instalment, Chas decided to rip the plaster off and ask the newcomer why she was actually in Emmerdale. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Serena explained that she didn’t plan on sticking around, but chose to because she missed Robert and was enjoying getting to know Sarah Sugden (Katie Hill). After their chat, Serena glanced on her phone, and Chas spotted her pin number. She gave Serena a hug and managed to pocket the device, which had images saved on there that changed everything for the newcomer. John inflicted a great deal of horror on a number of residents (Picture: ITV) Aaron has been convinced that Serena is like his ex (Picture: ITV) It turns out Serena had seen John during the period he was on the run. In the autumn of last year, John left for Rotterdam after making a deal with Caleb Miligan (William Ash). He then went to France and, at some point, he returned to England. The picture that was shown to us was of Serena and John posing for a photo at what I can only assume was some sort of family gathering. There was just one problem – it looked far more like a summer BBQ than a snap taken in December. John was wearing a t-shirt, the trees were lush and green, and the grass? Well, it looked like it had never even heard of winter. There’s also the rather awkward detail that John was a wanted man at the time. Either nobody in Serena’s family ever watches the news, or everyone decided it wasn’t worth bringing up during the photo. Is Serena like John? Yes, she is bad news!Check No, I think she's innocentCheck Sign up to The Soaps Newsletter - Weekly. An unmissable selection of exclusive spoilers and interviews, handpicked by our Soaps Editor. Aaron, Chas and Robert weren’t prepared to listen to Serena’s excuses. She had previously claimed that she hadn’t seen John for a few years, but the picture proved they saw each other just a few months ago. The line had been drawn. It was time for Serena to go. She packed up her car and tried to hug Robert before she left, but he rejected the gesture. Deals of the Day Wuka launches the UK’s first period-proof swimwear for heavy flows Bridgerton fans are rushing to buy these new Netflix-inspired perfumes now £12 off The affordable summer wardrobe update you'll wear from rooftop drinks to beach holidays The £7.99 lip balm beauty fans love for glossy, hydrated lips just dropped four new shades This Keskine hydrogel mask could fix your summer skin As Serena drove out of Emmerdale Farm, Aaron stated that her leaving was for the best – but is this really the last we’ve seen of her? Arrow MORE: Serena picks her love interest in Emmerdale village but she has a motive Arrow MORE: All Emmerdale spoilers for next week as Dr Todd twist brings hope for Charity Arrow MORE: Three more Emmerdale exits may be imminent The Soaps Newsletter – Weekly Sign up for exclusive spoilers and interviews, handpicked by our Soaps Editor.