Joe Tate has had to hand over his fortune to Dr Crowley in terrifying Emmerdale scenes.

The villain found his match in the surgeon, a previous accomplice who has now turned on him.

In tonight’s hour-long episode, Joe woke up in a makeshift hospital, feeling completely paralysed from the neck down.

As Crowley was revealed to have kidnapped Joe, the doctor hinted at their reunion being Joe’s “follow-up appointment” after the illegal kidney transplant.

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Joe demanded to know what was going on, with Crowley informing him he administered him an epidural, “sort of”.

Crowley told Joe he gave him his own “concoction of drugs” to immobilise him and that he was behind the stolen pills and the notes.

“Rumour has it, I have an addictive personality,” Crowley continued, explaining his true motive: he needed money, lots of it.

Crowley wanted Joe to repay his debt as he’d been barred from the medical profession.

“You were struck off?” Joe asked, to which Crowley replied: “Once they started digging, it wasn’t pretty.”

“But don’t fret, dear, I never mentioned you,” he added. “Which is why you owe me.”

Despite Joe’s insistences that Crowley “had already bled [him] dry”, the doctor brandished a scalpel and was ready to use it on Joe if he didn’t get his way.

Meanwhile, Dawn Taylor kept on leaving messages on Joe’s phone, believing he was in Monaco for work.

At the “hospital”, Joe wasn’t surprised to see that Crowley had managed to buy Shaun’s loyalty.

Just before the henchman and the doctor went out for lunch, Crowley ordered Joe to pay him if he wanted to keep his kidney.

“Transfer the entire contents of your account to me or I will undo all my hard work,” he said.

When they returned, Joe begged Crowley not to cut him open. As soon as the blade touched his skin, Joe caved, agreeing to transfer his funds to the surgeon.

Finally appeased, Crowley arranged for Shaun to take their “friend” home.

“If I ever see you again, I will get my money back,” Joe hissed.

On his way out, Crowley advised Joe to keep quiet, threatening him once more.

“I’ll be there, ready to put you through this hell all over again,” he said, leaving Joe helpless.

Back home, Joe lied to Dawn about being hungover after a “traumatic” business meeting and claimed he needed space.

As she left, he received a text from Crowley, reading: “Great doing business today. Sweet dreams. C x”.