How is Gabby related to ‘uncle’ Jimmy in Emmerdale? Connection explained amid tragic death

| Deputy Soaps Editor Published August 31, 2026 10:19am Updated August 31, 2026 10:20am The truth about Gabby and Jimmy’s connection revealed (Picture: ITV / Metro) Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham) has been left utterly bereft by the death of ‘uncle’ Jimmy King (Nick Miles) in Emmerdale, though not just for the reasons you might think. Jimmy, as viewers know, perished last week after his car crashed through the marquee on Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley) and Joe Tate’s (Ned Porteous) wedding day. The reason for the accident is currently unknown but a second pair of tyre tracks indicates that another vehicle was involved, with Jimmy thought to have swerved to avoid said car, which led to the atrocity. More devastation followed, with bride-to-be Dawn giving birth to fiancé Joe’s baby in hospital before suffering a haemorrhage. Joe was heartbroken as he was told of Dawn’s death. The news of both deaths was hard to swallow for Gabby, who – upon learning of Jimmy’s – referred to him as her uncle, leaving a number of viewers confused. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video ‘Uncle? Eh?,’ wrote X user Mike, while Hasan asked: ‘Anyone know how Jimmy is somehow an uncle to Gabby?’ We’re on hand to clear things up so here’s everything you need to know about how exactly Gabby is related to Jimmy. How is Gabby related to ‘uncle’ Jimmy in Emmerdale? Gabby isn’t related to Jimmy by blood but he is her uncle via marriage. Her mother, as longtime audiences will recall, is Bernice Blackstock (Samantha Giles), who is Nicola King’s (Nicola Wheeler) sister. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Bernice is and always has been very close to Nicola, who married Jimmy after they first got together in 2009. Gabby was born in 2001 and thus for most of her life, Jimmy was married to her aunt, meaning that she would have thought of him as an integral part of her family. Gabby is harbouring a secret (Picture: ITV) What’s more, Gabby also has a very close bond with stepmother Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy), who was married to her dad Ashley (John Middleton). Laurel was like a second mum to Gabby, having played a key role in her upbringing. Laurel also happens to be best mates with Nicola, meaning that Gabby would have been in Nicola and Jimmy’s orbit quite a bit over the years, given both Bernice and Laurel’s closeness to Nico. Jimmy met a tragic end last week (Picture: ITV) With all this in mind, it is no wonder that Gabby is devastated over Jimmy’s death. The question is: is she responsible for the death of both Jimmy and Dawn? Gabby has been acting incredibly secretive since news broke and she was all but set to confess something to Laurel prior to learning about Dawn’s death, so either way there is definitely something afoot. We’ll just have to keep watching to find out! Deals of the Day The viral LED face mask with over 350 lights that's currently discounted by £100 A friend said I looked 'snatched' – I credit this new Charlotte Tilbury powder Shop MySweetSmile's biggest Bank Holiday offers before they end Back-to-school shopping just got a lot cheaper thanks to Primark The back-to-school essential parents forget every year – and it could cost them Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 or stream from 7am on ITVX and YouTube. If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. Arrow MORE: ‘Grieving’ Olivia Bromley didn’t want Emmerdale to kill Dawn Fletcher Arrow MORE: All the Emmerdale cast returns, exits and new arrivals in 2026 Arrow MORE: A new Emmerdale arrival has devastating consequences after recent shock deaths The Soaps Newsletter – Weekly Sign up for exclusive spoilers and interviews, handpicked by our Soaps Editor.