The secret villain is responsible for a number of deaths on the ITV soap, including Nate Robinson, who he accidentally killed after injecting him with drugs as part of his obsessive hero complex.

Also among John’s victims are his ex-fiancé Aidan, who he put back into a coma not long after he awoke from the first one, and Owen, who he framed for Nate’s murder before killing him.

According to The Sun, the soap has filmed yet another devastating murder scene involving John, who will reportedly kill a beloved character in a drastic bid to keep his crimes from becoming common knowledge.

Reports speculate that a character on the soap will discover the truth about John, leading the killer to strike again to cover up his crimes. Digital Spy reached out to Emmerdale but the show declined to comment.

While the dark storyline could take yet another turn, actor Oliver Farnworth teased what’s to come for his villainous character in the near future, saying: “There’s lots of big stuff coming up.

“I guess with the web that John’s woven for himself in the back of his mind, he’s anticipating people [will] start [becoming] suspicious, secrets to come out and people to start finding things out.

“He’s probably got a few set pieces prepared in his mind for dealing with all of this, but really what he’s had to do so far is just think on his feet and adapt to situations around him. I’m sure this will all change soon.

“The jeopardy at stake for him now is that he’s got his whole life in Emmerdale Village. He’s got the love of his life, Aaron, he’s got a family that he never had. He does not want to lose all that, under any circumstances. There’s going to be a few battles ahead, I think.”