I teased a twist in ITV soap crossover Corriedale that you would never in a million years guess – an Emmerdale star from the past staged a shock return from absolutely nowhere, despite being dead for six years.

Fancy that, that’s quite a feat to pull off considering we the murder, the corpse and the funeral.

If anyone could manage it, it’s SAS cyborg Graham Foster, who seemingly is unkillable.

The bodyguard to Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) and later Kim (Claire King) is played by Andrew Scarborough, who reprises a role he thought he’d left behind for good.

And jaws did indeed drop when Graham was revealed as the driver of the van carrying kidnapped mystery newcomer Jodie.

The start of the episode – which blended Emmerdale with Coronation Street – hinted at a big reveal ahead by not showing us the identity of a sinister figure.

But as Jodie broke free and ran into the woodlands, we saw Graham, expressionless as ever, make a phone call confirming that there’s been a problem.

Quite why Graham was holding Jodie – whose tattoo matches Shona Platt’s (Julia Goulding) hostage has not been revealed.

And nor has the little matter of how he is actually alive.

After he rubbed up much of the village the wrong way, Graham was seemingly murdered, with rapist Pierce Harris striking the killer blow.

Kim was left grieving the loss of her partner in crime as the dust to dust played out.

And a nation mourned the loss of a gravel-voiced icon.

It’s all a bit of a mystery for now, just how are Emmerdale bosses going to explain this one?

Apparently they have a way as all will eventually become clear, with Metro able to confirm that Graham’s comeback isn’t just a cameo, it’s a full return to the ITV soap.

Both Andrew and Claire, I have it on good authority, are thrilled to be reunited and to get their teeth into the inevitable drama that awaits their alter-egos in 2026.

But not half as excited as the audience.