Sarah is in for a big shock in Emmerdale as a familiar face enters her life

Emmerdale has thrown its fair share of shocks at Sarah Sugden (Katie Hill) lately. Get ready for another, when the budding mechanic has a very unexpected reunion with a blast from her past.

Like anyone growing up in a soap opera, Sarah’s life has been about as easy and straight-forward as getting Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) to smile.

The budding mechanic’s journey to become a parents with her loving husband Jacob Sugden (Joe-Warren Plant) has been complicated at every turn by chronic health issues, particularly Fanconi Anaemia – a rare genetic disorder that causes bone marrow failure and often leads to other illnesses. Routine IVF tests led to the heartbreaking discovery that she had developed cervical cancer, making it impossible to conceive naturally.

Fortunately, Sarah’s step-grandmother Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) volunteered to be their surrogate and carry the child to term. The couple were overwhelmed with joy and gratitude at Charity’s incredible gift.

Or at least, it would have been an incredible gift, had Charity notmessed everything up by having a drunken knee-trembler with Ross Barton (Michael Parr). Ross, of course, is the biological father of Sarah and Jacob’s newborn baby, Leyla Sugden, although Charity’s spun a gargantuan web of lies to make sure Sarah and Jacob – and her husband Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) for that matter – never find out.

Oblivious to the baby bombshell that could drop at any moment, Sarah’s recently been more concerned with helping distract her seriously ill grandad Cain by stealing cars to keep the farm afloat, and the fact that he husband is being bullied at work by the insidious Doctor Todd (Caroline Harker).

In a cruel twist of fate, the not-so-good doctor would end up embroiled in Sarah’s family when she delivered her baby in a hospital elevator. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the Terrible Todd to overhear a whispered conversation between Ross and Charity and realise that Jacob and Sarah are not Leyla’s biological parents.

This led to Doctor Todd’s disgusting attempt to blackmail Charity, threatening to expose her secret at Sarah’s 21st birthday. When Charity stood her ground and called the twisted GP’s bluff, it led to harrowing scenes were she was sexually assaulted by Doctor Todd.

Sarah is completely in the dark about the hell her step-gran is going through, because Charity is faking post natal depression to conceal her brutal attack from her nearest and dearest. Most heartbreaking of all, Sarah feels guilt-ridden over Charity’s ‘condition’. In a recent heart-to-heart with Mack, she got teary-eyed and blamed the surrogacy for all of Charity’s emotional pain.

It’s safe to say that Sarah’s at her lowest ebb right now.

So this could be the best time for a face from her past to arrive in the village. Or the worst… depending on who it is. In upcoming scenes of Emmerdale, Sarah is shocked to come face-to-face with a relative.

Is this mystery Dales newcomer someone we’ve met before? With mothers and daughters becoming somewhat of a recurring scene in this story, is it too much to hope for a surprise return for Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb), Sarah’s mum and Charity’s daughter. The actress is currently treading the boards taking a role that is worlds away from the gobby Dingle Diva. But it wouldn’t be the first shock return Emmerdale has snuck into the show…

Then there’s Sarah’s other parent, Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher), who was scowling in fields of sheep long before Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) made it cool. The Emmerdale icon has already expressed interest in a return, and fans are geared up for it. Is Andy coming back for his little girl?

Then of course, it could be someone else entirely. There’s no shortage of Sugdens in the world, and Dingles breed like rabbits. Next week’s Emmerdale sees Charity lash out at – and confide in – a stranger who comes to her aid.

We already know that there’s a new Sugden joining the clan in the form of Serena Sugden, played by Casey Al-Shaqsy. Emmerdale bosses have already teased thatSerena will find herself at the heart of the drama when she’s drawn into the aftermath of a character’s traumatic situation.

Does Serena come to Sarah’s aid?

Whoever this latest addition to Sugden/Dingle clan is, let’s hope they’re here to help Sarah deal with the drama and not add to it…