Fans of Emmerdale have predicted that John Sugden and Ella Forster could be related – suggesting that the mysterious newcomer isn’t all that he appears.

John recently arrived in the village as the estranged brother of Victoria. Since sticking around, he made waves among his new neighbours, sparking up a volatile romance with Aaron Dingle.

But is John all that he seems? A set of dog tags with the name ‘Aiden’ printed on them has some fans wondering whether he might not be a Sugden at all. And, with Ella having recently returned to the village, one fan theory has suggested that they could have family ties of their own.

Are John and Ella related?

Emmerdale fan theory suggests John and Ella could be related

Writing on a Reddit thread, a number of fans shared their theories as to John’s ‘true’ identity. And, as they swapped ideas, one status quo-shattering theory emerged.

“Do we know for certain John is definitely a Sugden? I thought he pulled something out of his pocket with a different name,” wrote one fan.

“One more theory could be that John and Ella might be related or something since they have both been living in their Car/Van. They try keep their relation a secret at all times so that no-one finds out. They both could join forces to help each other join the Sugden dynasty etc,” suggested another.

“I think John is actually the guy whose name was on the dog tags and he stole John’s identity. That’s why he’s so eager to get out of town and not get attached to Victoria or Harry,” said a third.

However, others were more skeptical.

“There’s way too much hype about a new Sugden to just have him be someone else. The dog tags were just meant to get us suspicious, but in the end I’m sure he’ll be who he says he is,” pointed out a fourth.

Who exactly is John Sugden – and what is he hiding?