Emmerdale fans believe that the late Zak Dingle had a secret love child with an unlikely villager.

Emmerdale fans seem to think they have worked out who Ella Forster’s (played by Paula Lane) parents are after much speculation.

Last week, the villagers mourned the death of Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell), and one person who seemed to take the news badly was Home Farm owner Kim Tate (Claire King).

Kim even broke down in tears to her ex Will Taylor (Dean Andrews), who comforted her despite their ongoing bitter divorce proceedings.

Zak’s funeral was shattered when an unexpected guest caused a stir, claiming to be another one of Zak’s children and demanding her share of his assets.

Samantha Power’s portrayal of Tina Dingle shows her arriving with the intention of laying claim and taking charge.

During the ensuing clash, it was Lydia Dingle (Karen Blick) who stepped in with pivotal news: she announced that Zak had written a will and had given it to her for safekeeping.

Defending her family against Tina’s insolence, Lydia declared: “Slag off my Sam again, and you’ll wish you’d never been born, and as for the house, Zak did make a will, and he had me look after it.”

Lydia also explained that a mysterious letter found in the house was crucial to Zak’s plans, leaving the home to Sam, Belle, and Cain.

Emmerdale enthusiasts were left baffled when Lydia was seen with a puzzling letter from Zak, triggering intense conjecture amongst the show’s followers. Some suggested Lydia could be another secret child of Zak’s, while other theories spread through fan circles online.

Others thought Ruby Milligan (Beth Cordingly) might be Zak’s daughter, pointing out the mystery of Ruby’s past as supporting this theory.

However, it didn’t stop there because one eagle-eyed fan claimed that Zak and Kim could have had a baby together.

Taking to a Facebook fan page dedicated to the soap, they wrote: “I’ve been told that Kim and Zak had a fling and had a love child together, and it’s Ella.”

While some fans shut down the idea, others agreed it could be possible. One replied: “It happened 20 something years ago.”

“I heard that, but I don’t know if it’s true,” a third added.

Someone else said: “Stranger things have happened,” while another stated: “Yes.”

One went on: “I was thinking that.”

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV.