Emmerdale’s Moira has been hiding a secret health battle from her family after fans spotted symptoms of a devastating illness in recent episodes.

Emmerdale has revealed that Moira Dingle is battling a secret alcohol relapse, hidden from her husband Cain and son Matty Barton. Recent episodes of the ITV soap have seen Moira’s behaviour raise eyebrows among viewers due to her unexpected outbursts.

Earlier this week, Moira couldn’t contain her satisfaction when Samson Dingle was incarcerated after confessing he falsely accused Matty of stabbing him.

Sam and Lydia Dingle were left in shock as their son was led out of The Woolpack in handcuffs, but Moira was seen grinning. This raised Cain’s suspicions about his wife’s involvement in his nephew Samson’s arrest.

Back at home, Cain confronted Moira about her reaction to the arrest. She vehemently denied calling the police, but then sent a glass flying across the kitchen and into a wall.

On Tuesday (August 7), Cain suggested they forget their previous night’s argument, but Moira soon stirred up more tension, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Cain expressed his worry for Moira in a conversation with Sam (Image: ITV)

“They should throw away the key”, she remarked about Samson’s prison sentence, accusing him of exacerbating the situation by trying to toughen Samson up for prison.

Moira’s harsh words escalated on Wednesday (August 7) when she told her struggling son to “man up” following his prison ordeal. Matty criticised his mother for her lack of empathy, leading to a tense atmosphere between them.

During Thursday’s visit to the village (August 8), Matty and Moira reconciled, but Matty became worried when he discovered his mother asleep in the middle of the day.

Moira knocked back a large glass of whisky (Image: ITV)

She attributed her exhaustion to her long work hours and maintaining a clean home, pleading with him not to tell Cain. Moira was puzzled by her sudden sleepiness and noted her lack of appetite.

Matty agreed to keep Moira’s secret, but when he later called to check on her, the truth came out.

“Yes, I have eaten some food and I’m all rested and I feel like a new woman”, she assured Matty as she poured herself a whisky. After ending the call, she took a large sip and declared: “That’s nice.”

Moira has been arguing with Cain in recent Emmerdale episodes (Image: ITV)

She then picked up her glass and the whisky bottle to take with her, suggesting that Moira might be slipping back into alcoholism after battling substance abuse three years ago.

In the meantime, Cain shared his concerns about his wife with Sam. Will Moira seek support from her husband?

Emmerdale continues on Friday (August 9) at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.