Emmerdale fans switch off minutes in after 'ridiculous' ITV issue

Emmerdale viewers took to social media with complaints after the beloved ITV soap returned to screens with another gripping episode. This came after Aaron Dingle (played by Danny Miller) learns the truth about Mackenzie Boyd's (Lawrence Robb) whereabouts. After being poisoned and manipulated by his husband, John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), Aaron eventually comes to realise that John had abducted Mackenzie during their cottage getaway and is determined to find his best friend, who is being held captive in an underground bunker.

Aaron came to this realisation after discovering Mackenzie's phone in John's possessions, but in his efforts to piece together the truth, a drowsy Aaron escaped and trawled through the woods calling out for his friend. However, unbeknownst to him, John had planted hidden cameras in the area and received an alert and saw a live feed of his husband looking for Mackenzie. During Monday's (September 8) episode, Emmerdale fans quickly called out ITV and pointed out a major plot hole that could have helped Aaron. Taking to X, one fan questioned: "Why wouldn't Aaron just use the phone and call someone... Utterly ridiculous #emmerdale." As a second fumed: "#Emmerdale is f****** ridiculous. Time for this show to be axed."

Another added: "See, in real life, Aaron could dial the emergency services on Mack's locked smartphone. But no, instead you guys have him wondering the woods, instead of deploying basic common sense #emmerdale"

"Guess it was too much to hope they'd give Aaron another braincell to call 999 from Mac's phone," a fourth echoed.

One viewer asked: "Aaron why haven't you sent an SOS????? #Emmerdale." Meanwhile, another was distracted by the character's outfit, considering his drowsy state, and remarked: "How is Aaron able to put his outside clothes on to escape?"

The episode ended on a major cliffhanger, putting three lives in danger after John's brother, Robert (Ryan Hawley), arrived looking for answers from his brother.

His surprise arrival at the cottage resulted in a furious row and a physical fight between the brothers, which ended with Robert left lying on the ground. When John checked to see if Robert was still alive, he was relieved not to have killed again.

After his phone alert rang, John sprinted in Aaron's direction, whose frantic search for Mackenzie went cold and when he turned around, Aaron came face to face with his husband and urged him to lead him to his pal.

The practitioner confessed: "He's alive, I've been looking after him. He was in a bad way. I didn't want him to die. I'm telling you the truth. It was all for you Aaron. I didn't want to fall in love with you, but I did."

Just as Aaron convinced John to call the police and confess, Robert appeared, and as a result John accused Aaron of betraying him, saying: "I am so stupid. You tricked me. You brought him here, didn't you? You're in this together."

In a dramatic twist, John called the police to frame Robert, saying that his husband's ex turned up and was threatening to kill them.

John then told Aaron: "If you can't be mine, I'm sorry... you can't be anyone's," and jumped into the gorge with his arms around Aaron. As their seemingly lifeless bodies could be seen at the bottom of the ravine, it's yet to be revealed if either they or Mackenzie will survive the ordeal.