Emmerdale’s John Sugden was left fuming on Monday’s episode after Victoria Sugden discovered a crucial clue about his ‘true’ identity.

Emmerdale fans are in a frenzy trying to decipher the ‘true’ identity of John Sugden, with some suspecting he may not be the real Aidan Moore.

Oliver Farnworth made a splash on the ITV soap in August 2024 as the mysterious newcomer, instantly causing a stir with his scandalous liaison with Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller), reminiscent of Aaron’s tumultuous history with ex-husband Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley).

Since his arrival, John has been engaging in a tantalising game of cat and mouse with his supposed half-sister Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins). Despite her relentless probing and a bit of detective work in Monday’s episode, John kept his cool until Victoria’s search through his van revealed name tags for an Aidan Moore, prompting him to lose his temper and lament ever crossing paths with her.

The enigmatic name Aidan has been popping up in recent episodes, leading sharp-eyed fans to speculate that it might be John Sugden’s actual birth name. As the mystery surrounding his lineage deepens and doubts about his connection to Victoria grow, some viewers are starting to think that Aidan could be the name of John’s deceased partner.

One engrossed fan mused on Twitter, now X, “John needs to admit he’s not really a Sugden, because even if he is one, why would you want to be related to Victoria.”

While another pondered: “So fake John is he going to contact real John at some point or visit his grave? ” according to the Mirror.

One Emmerdale viewer speculated: “I don’t think John is a Sugden”, while another questioned: “Are the tags his or his ex-partners and he’s pretending to be John Sugden?”

Another doubtful fan questioned John’s story: “Wouldn’t all of John’s stuff have been virtually destroyed when his van was submerged in the river – all looks in remarkably fine fettle considering.”

The question remains, is John really who he says he is, and if he isn’t Aidan Moore, then who could he be?

Victoria found a dog tag that read Aiden Moore (Image: ITV)

There’s speculation that regardless of John’s ‘true’ identity, his arrival could herald the long-awaited return of Robert Sugden to Emmerdale, particularly as actor Ryan Hawley has recently landed a new role on Casualty after leaving the soap.

“What do you think of John Sugden? I quite like him but I’m curious to see how Aaron will react when he discovers that his date is actually Victoria’s brother John Sugden. Remember Robert was also a Sugden. #Emmerdale”, one fan mused on social media.

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV.