Emmerdale viewers have been left gobsmacked after discovering that Joe Tate, played by Ned Porteous, once had a role in EastEnders. As regular watchers of the ITV soap will know, Joe made a surprise return to the village on Christmas Day, hiding a serious health condition.

Earlier this week, Joe revealed he is battling chronic kidney disease and is desperately searching for a suitable organ donor. Despite his severe illness, Joe has been secretly romancing Dawn Fletcher (Olivia Bromley) and blackmailing GP Manpreet Sharma (Rebecca Sarker) following her posting of adult content online.

After his half-brother Noah Dingle (Jack Downham) was found not to be a match, Joe has now set his sights on his half-uncle Caleb Milligan (William Ash). Instead of pursuing an organ donation through legal channels, Joe seems to be illicitly planning to take Caleb's kidney.

As Joe's sinister health storyline escalates in the ITV soap, some fans were taken aback upon realising that actor Ned previously starred in EastEnders as Grant Mitchell's (Ross Kemp) son.

In 2016, Ned landed the role of Mark Fowler Jr, the offspring of Michelle Fowler (Jenna Russell) and tough guy Grant, and the nephew of the late Martin Fowler (James Bye), reports .

Mark Jr's unexpected arrival occurred when he travelled from Florida to London to find his biological father Grant, but his stay was short-lived.

In 1995, Pauline Fowler's (portrayed by Wendy Richard) daughter Michelle (then played by Susan Tully) bid farewell to Walford and jetted off to the US, leaving Grant in the dark about her pregnancy with his child.

The offspring, Mark Jr, was born away from the cameras in 1996, and it wasn't until two decades later that the bombshell about the Mitchell/Fowler link exploded onto Albert Square when he arrived seeking the truth about his lineage.

However, Mark's stint in the East End was short-lived as he decided to head back to the States after just a month, keen to avoid the notorious Mitchell family drama.

"Being part of two iconic families and the longest kept secret in EastEnders' history is beyond exciting!" exclaimed Ned upon his soap debut. He also expressed: "I'm honoured to be here and can't wait for viewers to meet Mark Jr."

Emmerdale enthusiasts have taken to social media to express their astonishment at Ned's previous role on EastEnders, with one viewer posting on Facebook: "I never knew that the actor who plays Joe played Mark Fowler in EastEnders in 2016."

Another fan confessed: "I didn't know that Joe [has] been in Bridgerton, and EastEnders as Mark Jnr."

On X, someone else chimed in: "Didn't know the actor that plays Joe was in #eastenders #emmerdale.

"How have I only just found out Joe Tate in #Emmerdale is played by the same actor that played Mark Fowler Jr in #EastEnders", a curious fan queried.

As Vicki Fowler's Walford comeback looms, another fan mused: "With Ned Porteous likely to have a shelf life as Joe, and Vicki Fowler being recast, will he be rehired as Mark Fowler? #Emmerdale #EastEnders."

Emmerdale continues on weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV and ITV X.