Emmerdale will finally reveal who murdered Ray Walters this week as Joe Absolom discusses his exit.

In a thrilling week of ‘whodunnit’ episodes starting tomorrow, (January 19), Emmerdale fans will finally unveil the murderer of Ray Walters through a series of flashbacks.

Ray, who was despised for the chaos he caused during his stint in the Dales, has left only one person mourning his demise – Joe Absolom, the ITV actor who played him.

Joe reflects: “I’ve started to think ‘why did I say kill me off?’ That said, Ray had to get his comeuppance. I think the audience is happy.

“He couldn’t stay in the soap. There has to be a moving on but, as an actor, I have loved it and I could easily stay forever.”

As the upcoming episodes are set to reveal Ray’s killer – with prime suspects including Laurel Thomas, Rhona Goskirk, and Marlon Dingle – 47-year-old Joe admits to feeling a bit down.

The actor, known for his roles in EastEnders, Doc Martin, Code of Silence, The Bay, and The Level, has spoken fondly of his time on the soap.

He told the Mirror : “It’s been very good and I’ve definitely got the blues. It’s a compliment to Emmerdale. It’s been such a nice, positive place to work and I am going to miss it.

“When you are a jobbing actor, the reality of that fear of finding a new role also steps in. It can be terrifying wondering what is next. But, as I have got older, I feel like I have got a bit of karma and I know I will be alright.”

As Emmerdale unravels the motives of the prime suspects in the search for Ray’s murderer, viewers might also be speculating if Dylan, who was coerced by Ray into drug dealing, could be involved. Or perhaps Ross Barton, who has connections to April – another character who suffered at the hands of Ray.

However, fans will have to hold their breath until Thursday when the identity of Ray’s killer is finally disclosed. Joe says: “It is a great twist and it is very fitting. He is not a popular guy and it could be one of many characters who murdered him.”

For Joe, portraying such a manipulative villain has been an exciting challenge. From luring April and Dylan into his drug-dealing scheme and holding Bear captive, to deceiving his new love interest, Laurel, about his true identity, Ray has embodied pure evil – a fact that hasn’t escaped the notice of fans, as Joe has personally experienced.

He shares: “I’ve loved playing Ray and it’s been nice when people have come up to me to tell me they didn’t like him. It means I’ve hopefully got it right. I tend to prefer playing the horrible characters. I can be quite fearful when it’s natural, love stuff.”

However, taking on such a demanding role in a soap opera is no easy task. Joe admits: “There can be a snobbery about soaps, but filming is really difficult.

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“They often have to do 25 pages of scripts on a soap, but I’m used to dramas where you only have three to five pages. It’s an exhausting process, but everyone working on the soap is phenomenal.

“They are young, diverse, full of beans and it has been really eye opening and enjoyable to work with such a talented crew. They are always so enthusiastic.

“I’ve worked on dramas before where people are bored after four weeks – but not Emmerdale. Even when they are standing out in the rain all day, people laugh. As a place to work, Emmerdale is unique.”

Ray’s murderer will be exposed on Thursday 22nd January at 8pm on ITV1 and STV1. Episodes can be downloaded on ITVX.