Emmerdale airs sudden emotional exit - and Arthur is heartbroken

But with Marshall sniping at Arthur for not giving him enough space, it soon became clear that the former wasn't as content as everyone had hoped.

Marshall had a lovely visit from his maternal aunt, Jean (warmly played by Emma Beattie), who asked him if he wanted to move in with her and her family.

Hearing that his abusive and homophobic father, Colin (Mark Noble), had never passed on his aunt's loving letters, Marshall was glad to hear how much Jean still cared for him, and decided that he did want to join her in Formby.

The problem was telling Arthur, his mum Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy) and soon-to-be stepdad Jai Sharma (Chris Bisson).

A failed attempt to talk to Laurel led to Marshall keeping quiet, until he managed to find a quiet moment to chat with Jai at his impromptu stag do.

Jai was surprised by Marshall's news, and saddened when Marshall explained that he didn't want to date Arthur anymore. Jai urged Marshall to tell Arthur the truth, and Arthur was left upset by the news.

Laurel had to rush over from her hen party to say farewell to Marshall. And, upon meeting Jean and speaking to Marshall, Laurel was satisfied that he was making the right choice.

After waving Marshall off, Laurel sat with a heartbroken Arthur at home. Although she tried to cheer her son up with tales of the wayward hens, Laurel was soon holding him close as he sobbed in her arms.

Will Arthur move on from this in time?

Read more:

• 6 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Sharma secret explodes as Jai and Laurel wed
• Samantha Giles to leave Emmerdale role as Bernice Blackstock

Emmerdale airs on weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Soaps hub.

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