Emmerdale has confirmed a special flashback week in new spoilers, with fans set to find out who killed Ray Walters and why, as suspects and motives are revealed

The big question Emmerdale fans are asking is who killed Ray Walters, and next week we learn the truth.

New spoilers for the ITV soap have named the three main suspects, with a few other characters also teased to be the culprit. Ray was killed off in a shocking twist last week, and we did not see his death onscreen.

Next week is flashback special, as each episode follows a different suspect on the day Ray was killed. We find out their motives for killing Ray and what they were doing, before Thursday’s episode reveals all.

We will see Ray’s death and the fallout, as the whodunnit is answered. Rhona Goskirk, Marlon Dingle and Laurel Thomas are the named suspects, and cast members Mark Charnock, Zoe Henry and Charlotte Bellamy have shared their thoughts.

Laurel is the first named suspect, and her episode airs on Monday featuring scenes with her, Ray and her son Arthur, as well as her pal Nicola King. When Laurel finds out her love interest Ray is a drug dealer who has exploited teens Dylan and , she makes it clear they are over.

Ray begs for his freedom and for Laurel not to turn him in, and she lets him walk away – soon sparking deadly consequences. Arthur is furious and vows to make Ray pay, while Nicola urges Laurel to trap Ray to ensure justice is served – but will Laurel, or someone else, commit the crime?

Actress Charlotte teased that if it is Laurel who turns killer, she would confide in Nicola. She added: “She is completely conflicted, she is and she isn’t comfortable at all.

“She’s a woman of faith and she loved him. I don’t think the audience will think she could have done it, but they’ll have to watch and find out.” On if Laurel could live with being a killer, she said: “100% not. That would make it really difficult for her.”

Next up is Rhona, whose episode airs Tuesday. Rhona, like husband Marlon, is struggling with her ordeal at the hands of Ray and his now-dead mum Celia Daniels, and her stepdaughter April remains missing.

Very little is revealed about Rhona’s episode, other than a shadowy figure looms behind her. is it Ray, and will it lead to Rhona claiming his life?

Actress Zoe said of her character’s motives: “I think she could be motivated because how long are they prepared to let this go on for? I think it’s that moment of desperation that there is no way out.

“And so, if I die or I sacrifice myself in the process of freeing my family, particularly my children, then maybe I’ll do it. And I think that’s what’s in Rhona’s mind. He is ruthless and relentless, and he will stop at nothing. And Rhona knows that. So she’s all in. She’s got to be otherwise, where will they be left?”

Wednesday’s episode sees Marlon take centre stage, but he isn’t alone. His best pal Paddy Dingle, the son of Bear who was exploited by Ray and Celia and then killed, also has a showdown with Ray in this episode.

He’s not a named suspect, but he has just as good a motive as anyone else. As for Marlon, he fears he has nowhere else to turn as he wants Ray gone for good, and fears Ray has taken missing April.

But might actor Mark’s comments about Marlon’s reaction to Ray’s death rule him out as the killer? He said: “He’s stunned. He doesn’t have any human empathy towards Ray but I think his reaction is one of, initially, disbelief. It can’t be true.

“He can’t be gone, because this man has lauded it over us in every single way somebody can, for so long. So I think it’s disbelief more than anything… or is it, could he just be covering?”

Other characters teased to be suspects include Paddy and Arthur, and maybe even Nicola. An initial suspect not named but also featuring in the big week is Ross Barton, as he and April are clearly hiding something.