The heat is on John Sugden in Emmerdale as Aaron’s shocking revelation about his killer husband prompts a huge search in tonight’s episode.

In yesterday’s episode, we saw John flee the hospital after he attempted to sabotage plans to bring Aaron round from his coma. He removed his breathing support, but his efforts appeared to be in vain as doctors worked quickly to stabilise him and eventually woke him up.

Aaron’s first words when coming round were to warn his family that John is keeping Mackenzie captive. Meanwhile, John hoodwinked an unsuspecting Cain into giving him a lift to get away from the hospital.

*Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Emmerdale episode – Thursday, September 18*

In tonight’s episode (September 18), we learn that Chas, Moira, Chastity and Cain, who has arrived back at the hospital, are now aware via Aaron that John was the one to pull the pair over the gorge and cause their injuries, as well as Aaron telling the group that he is keeping Mack hostage at a bunker in the cottage. Cain reveals to two waiting police officers that this is where John had asked him to drop him off earlier that day.

Vic relays the information over the phone to Robert, who is in custody after John framed him for his and Aaron’s fall. She also apologises to her brother for her initial reluctance to believe his story that John was really to blame. Putting the story together, Vic asks Robert to tell him everything he suspects about John, no matter how gruesome.

Later, Vic breaks the news to Paddy that Aaron has accused John of kidnapping Mack and asks him to go through the messages he exchanged with John to help find where he has hidden Mack away. However, Paddy reveals that after their conversation in Wednesday night’s episode, he went through their conversations again and found nothing of note, describing John as “quite guarded”. Vic also reveals to Paddy that Robert has shared his suspicions that John also killed Nate.

Later in the episode back at the Woolpack, Vic reveals Robert’s suspicions about John’s involvement with Nate’s death to Cain. Cain, who was previously a suspect in Nate’s death, starts spiraling as he grapples with being hoodwinked by John.

Police descend on the cottage, with Charity following suit, with officers conducting a full search of the area in the hunt for Mack. After being told to go home, Charity sneaks her way back onto the crime scene in a desperate bid to find her husband. After joining the search of the forest for the bunker door, Charity trips over what she believes to be sticks and leaves and moves on, unaware that she has actually tripped over the door to the bunker.

The search party quickly finds the bunker door and a panicked Charity is eager to climb in and save Mack, but she is held back by the detective who tells her she can’t tamper with a crime scene. In true Charity fashion, she storms past and rushes in to the hopes of finding Mack. As her and the detective enter the bunker, they find that Mack is nowhere to be seen – it looks like John has got in front of everyone and moved Mack before he could be found.

While Mack is nowhere to be seen, police are confident that Aaron’s revelation may be correct after blood, empty water bottles and a syringe is found inside the bunker.

John then appears at the hospital carrying an unconscious Mack, telling medical staff that he needs urgent help after claiming to have found him at the side of the road. He tells staff that he thinks he has overdosed and gave him a shot of naloxone. When asked for his identity, John simply tells the doctors that he is a medic and urges them to get Mack seen to immediately, but flees once again before the staff can get his name.

Mack is admitted and Moira is in tears over his condition before phoning Charity to let her know that he has appeared after being brought in by an apparent stranger. She breaks the news that it doesn’t look good for Mack. Hospital staff have done all they can for him and it’s a “wait and see situation”.

Back at the hospital, Charity arrives and Paddy also appears to tell Moira that Cain has been told that John is suspected to be Nate’s killer. Chas reveals that Aaron has just told her that John admitted it to him before he pulled them off the gorge.

Moira catches up with Cain at the graveyard, where she tells him that Aaron has said John admitted to killing Nate. She also reveals that Mack is in a bad way in hospital.

Charity is by an unconscious Mack’s bedside, urging him to wake up and spilling here true feelings to her estranged husband. Mack wakes up, delirious as to whether the Charity in front of him is the one from his imagination or real.

Emmerdale airs at 7.30pm on ITV1 and STV every weeknight. Early release episodes are available to watch each weekday morning from 7am on ITVX, STV Player, and YouTube.