WHO’S GOT MURDER IN MIND?

It’s an Emmerdale whodunnit as Graham Foster is killed. We line up the suspects ....

hated Graham Foster is bumped off in Emmerdale this week – and there are no fewer than eight suspects!

The murder mystery takes up the week with special episodes dedicated to the would-be killers. Each begins with the opening of Hawkford Outdoor Pursuits centre (HOP), then looks at events through the eyes of the different characters, which include

Kim Tate, Marlon and Charity Dingle and Jai Sharma.

On Friday, viewers see what Graham was up to in his fateful last hours from his own perspective – and the whodunnit will be solved. Producer Laura Shaw says, ‘Graham’s built up so many enemies that it could be almost anyone. The murder will have repercussions well into this year.’

But who is pushed so far as to actually kill brooding butler-cumbodyguard Graham (played by Andrew Scarborough)? Here, we take a look at those in the frame...

KIM TATE AND AL CHAPMAN

After discovering her ex-partner Graham is planning to move to France with girlfriend Rhona Goskirk, Kim (Claire King) asks him if there’s any hope of a reconciliation, and Graham implies there might be.

But Laura says, ‘When Kim finds out it’s a ruse to steal her money, she’s furious.’ Kim insists Graham must die, enlisting the help of her hard-up HOP co-owner, Al (Michael Wildman). Laura adds, ‘Al’s got nasty loan sharks after him, so when Kim hands over a pile of cash to kill Graham, it may be the answer to his problems.’

JAI SHARMA

Exhausted and overworked at HOP by his partners Kim and Al, former addict Jai’s started taking cocaine again. Despite being high, Jai (Chris Bisson) is single-handedly saving HOP, but when his car collides with Graham’s, Jai (below left) is outed as being under the influence. Graham tells Jai’s horrified girlfriend Laurel Thomas, who ends their relationship. Laura says, ‘Jai’s enraged and heads out hellbent on revenge.’

CHARITY DINGLE AND RYAN STOCKS

Charity (Emma Atkins) is planning a surprise wedding with fiancée Vanessa Woodfield and wants all her kids by her side. But, after Graham enlists her son Ryan to steal money from Kim’s bank account, he locks Ryan in a hut when he refuses to make the final transfer. When Charity tracks Ryan (James Moore) down, she’s apoplectic with rage and goes after Graham. As an unrepentant Graham belittles her, Charity vows revenge. ‘She has motive to want to do Graham in for the way he lurks across everything in her life,’ says Emma. ‘She has never killed before but could be driven to it, especially when her family is involved.’

MARLON DINGLE

Unaware Rhona plans to leave the country with their son Leo and Graham, Marlon (left) misreads the signals and tries to kiss her. Shocked, Rhona reveals her plans so Marlon storms off to stop Graham taking Leo. Mark Charnock, who plays Marlon, says, ‘He is full of resentment and the idea of Leo being taken away fills him with fear. It’s a perfect storm that could push him to kill Graham.’

JAMIE AND ANDREA TATE

Jamie hates Graham after learning he and his wife Andrea had a onenight stand years ago. Andrea (below, with Jamie) tells Graham that Jamie’s hired a private detective to follow her and when Graham tells Jamie he’s still in cahoots with Andrea, he vows revenge. Alexander Lincoln, who plays Jamie, says, ‘While Andrea is also to blame, Graham is the trigger. Jamie came to the village an innocent person, but he is Kim Tate’s son, so dark deeds are in his blood and he has the capacity to kill.’ Furious that Graham’s torn her family apart, Andrea gets in her car and roars away. ‘She hates the idea of being alone or penniless,’ says Anna Nightingale, who plays her. ‘She could 100 per cent become a killer, when it comes to her daughter and husband. It’s about survival.’ ■