Emmerdale secret finally exposed in explosive Christmas spoilers

TIME is ticking for one long-standing resident of the Dales as their secret could be exposed by another villager.

Tensions arise in Emmerdale as many others begin to put two and two together.

Life in the eponymous village has left Chas Dingle devastated in recent months.

After losing her mother Faith in heart-breaking scenes, the pub manager played by Lucy Pargeter was forced to give up on a future with Al Chapman.

The businessman was shot to death by Kyle Winchester, taking his illicit romance with Chas to the grave – which prompted long-term rival Cain Dingle (portrayed by Jeff Hordley) to take the fall.

Since then, Chas was made to grieve in silence, keeping her love for Al a secret, and making sure her husband Paddy heard nothing of it.

But the truth is beginning to catch up with her.

Coming up on ITV, Chas is emotional when she finds some of Faith’s belongings.

Paddy (Dominic Brunt) offers her support, leaving her grateful for her family as she and her daughter Eve decorate their Christmas tree.

Chas’ heart is close to bursting for Paddy during a family dinner with Rhona Goskirk and Marlon Dingle and she feels more grateful for her husband and daughter than ever before.

She makes the decision to put Al in the past and appreciate her family after spending a wholesome afternoon with them.

A loved-up Paddy later surprises her with a gift and Chas is privately ashamed to realise she nearly left him.

But while she comes to terms with Al’s death, the penny drops for Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) when Chloe Harris tells her that Al took someone to dinner the night of Faith’s death.

Belle, who caught Chas and Al together during the summer, realises they had actually never ended their affair.

In later scenes, Belle refuses to cut any corners and bluntly confronts Chas about being at Westgrove Hall Hotel with Al when Faith died.

Chas is backed into a corner, unable to deny her affair any longer but Belle makes another shocking realisation.

She suggests that the affair could have been the reason why Cain killed Al and Chas debates whether she should tell Belle she believes this theory.

Chas is manic with fear, mortified that Belle will tell the family everything, but she’s over the moon when Paddy announces he’s booked them a surprise getaway.

Elsewhere in the Dales, Belle breaks down in front of Moira Dingle (Natalie J. Robb) and admits what she knows about Chas and Al.

Moira is furious and gets to the truth of Cain’s imprisonment and Al’s death.

The following day, Chas prepares for her trip away with Paddy and is relieved they are both getting away.

But will they really be able to go through with it?

Emmerdale airs on ITV.