Emmerdale‘s Brenda Walker has unleashed an off-camera twist, leaving Nicola King furious.

Brenda exited the village back in April as she headed off on a three-month cruise with her former stepdaughter, Cathy Hope. While on her new adventure, Brenda sent a letter to Eric Pollard to explain that she wouldn’t be returning home.

Recently, Nicola King has been struggling to manage the café without her business partner. Viewers have seen her enlist the help of Lewis Barton, whose new menu ideas and bubbly personality have proved popular with customers.

In today’s episode, Lewis’s charming “superpower” continued to increase sales. However, Nicola was stressed about not being able to reach Brenda, despite calling her and leaving multiple messages.

“Why should we work our fingers to the bone, while she works her way through the Mounties?” she complained to Jimmy.

Later, Ross visited his brother at work and was shocked to learn that Lewis was thinking of leaving the Dales.

“Me moving to the village was always gonna be temporary,” Lewis explained. “I don’t wanna be washing coffee cups for the rest of my life. I wanna run my own business.”

The pair explained that Brenda was selling her shares to Lewis, who was delighted to finally become a business owner.

But Nicola seemed less than impressed with the news. Will she be able to relinquish some of her power?

Last month, Eric Pollard said that Brenda was “not coming back” to the village. Actor Lesley Dunlop had played the role since 2008.