Emmerdale fans were left reeling on Monday night after a devastating twist saw a beloved fan-favourite character meet a tragic end, with viewers declaring they had 'lost an icon'.
A Heartbreaking Decision for Kim Tate's Beloved Horse
The emotional episode centred on the fate of Kim Tate's horse, Ice. As viewers will recall, Kim Tate (played by Claire King) was thrown from Ice last week after the animal was spooked by a gunshot on her land. Both Kim and her horse suffered severe injuries in the fall.
In Monday's instalment of the ITV soap, vet Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) delivered the grim prognosis to Kim's stepson, Joe Tate (Ned Porteous). She revealed that Ice's leg bone had shattered and would never heal properly, leaving the animal in constant and worsening pain.
Despite Dawn Taylor's (Olivia Bromley) plea to consult Kim first, Joe made the difficult decision to have Ice put down, insisting his stepmother would not want the horse to suffer while she recovered from her own surgery.
Viewers React with Grief and Outrage
The news was later broken to a vulnerable Kim in her hospital bed, leaving her devastated. The loss was felt just as keenly by the audience, who flooded social media platform X to express their sorrow.
One fan wrote, 'Lost an icon tonight on Emmerdale #Emmerdale,' while another lamented, 'What on earth emmerdale killing off ice Kim's favourite horse that's cruel.' Many branded the storyline 'undeserved', particularly so close to Christmas, with posts such as 'RIP Ice, you didn’t deserve to be written out just before Christmas.'
The Guilty Secret Behind the Tragedy
The episode also shed light on the real cause of the accident, revealing a web of guilt. It was disclosed that the shooting Kim went to investigate was a fake, staged by Sam and Lydia Dingle as a protest against their treatment at the farm.
The snares they left for rabbits ultimately ensnared Ice, causing the catastrophic injuries. Overcome with remorse, Lydia ended the episode by telling Sam she intended to confess their part in the tragedy, setting the stage for further drama.
The shocking plot twist comes ahead of the highly anticipated Emmerdale and Coronation Street crossover event, teased in a new trailer, which will see characters from both soaps involved in a deadly car pile-up in the New Year.
Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
