There’s a lot still to come for this trio (Picture: ITV)

So, Mackenzie Boyd’s (Lawrence Robb) big secret is finally out in the open in Emmerdale, and it has understandably knocked Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) for six.

After a one night stand with Chloe Harris (Jessie Elland), Mack learnt that he had got her pregnant, and so the secrets began.

Though at several points throughout her pregnancy Mack was tempted to reveal the truth to his now wife, he was encouraged to keep it covered up for fear of rocking the boat.

However, secrets are always destined to come out, and once baby Reuben was rushed to hospital, things slowly began to unravel for Mack.

Fearing for his baby’s life, he made his way to the hospital to spend time with him.

Relieved after being given the all clear, Mack and Chloe sat together by his bedside, where they were overheard by Charity, who finally learnt the truth.

After confronting Mack about what she had heard, he informed her that she was right and he was the dad, leaving her whole world crumbling.

With his big secret finally out in the open, there is a lot of drama to come.

Here’s what you can expect!

A showdown

After a big soap revelation, there is always guaranteed to be a dramatic fallout, and this is no exception.

With Emma Atkins admitting that Charity ‘likes a showdown’, we’re almost certain that she won’t let Mack off easily for this.

Viewers have already seen Charity drag the truth out of him face to face in a scene which Lawrence Robb described as ‘great’, thought it doesn’t stop there.

‘There’s a scene immediately after that that we all shot together and that was a rewarding experience for us all. When it comes out, hopefully we’ve done it justice. I don’t think it’s ever been done in soap before, what we did.’

Emma agreed, claiming that the episode ‘breaks a few of the boundaries of normal soap filming’ and was ‘exhausting’ to do.

Charity won’t let Mack off easily (Picture: ITV)

‘A normal scene is usually 3 to 4 pages and this was like 17, 18 pages. It’s a continuation and it’s the unravelling. There’s a couple more characters involved – Noah and Sarah (Jack Downham and Katie Hill).

‘It’s just the moments after they meet in the village and obviously he finally works out that she knows and then it’s like ‘Oh shit.’’

Dingles will turn on Mack

The Dingles may be one of soap’s most close-knit families, and when someone upsets one of their own, they need to watch their backs.

That is certainly the case for Mack, who will face not only the wrath of Charity, but the rest of her family as well.

‘As soon as Charity finds out obviously all of the Dingles – it’s like they’re psychic.’ Lawrence revealed.

Charity was completely rocked by the discovery that Mack was Reuben’s dad (Picture: ITV)

‘As soon as Charity finds out, everyone else finds out almost immediately, Dingles anyway.’

It seems that the only Dingle who may still give him the time of day is sister Moira (Natalie J Robb), though Lawrence points out that she will be ‘cross’ at first.

‘Moira’s a Dingle now so… Let’s cut to the chase here. He’s done a bad thing. He’s not gone about amending it in the right way so he does need to deal with the consequences of his actions.

‘His sister is not proud of him in this moment. She’s been through the runner with doing naughty things in the past as well but she’s pretty cross as well.

‘I think eventually Moira will not necessarily fight his corner, but she is his sister and she will be like ‘You screwed up, it’s fine.’ But initially she’s cross as well.’

In upcoming episodes, Moira will slowly start to piece together hi months of lies, but ultimately her words will spur him on to try and fix things with Charity.

Mack tries to make amends

Mack will try to make amends with Charity (Picture: ITV)

Inspired by Moira’s words, Mack will try to get back into Charity’s good books and repair their relationship, but will he be successful? Lawrence doesn’t think so.

‘Initially he definitely wants to be with Charity. He loves Charity and wouldn’t have married her if he didn’t. Initially his priority would be to try and get Charity back but he very quickly realises, and rightly so, that it’s not on the cards.

‘Where there’s harmony there’s no drama so I think each thing will eventually run its course. That’s not to say that down the line Charity and Mack can’t rekindle something. I don’t think we’re working together as much as we were.’

Will Mack ever be able to make it up to Charity?

What’s next for Chloe

Chloe’s main priority now is obviously son Reuben, who has been given the all clear after being hospitalised for meningitis.

However, she will surely face judgement from the rest of the village once the big secret becomes common knowledge.

Chloe is getting used to life as a new mum (Picture: ITV)

Despite this, Jessie Elland thinks that she will find something else far more difficult to deal with than a few judgemental looks.

‘I think the guilt element of it is weighing heavier on her mind, rather than the fear of the wrath of the Dingles.

‘Especially after living with them, she’s so implicated in the Dingle family now, especially with Sarah and Charity, that there is a guilt element of it.

‘Because it’s not so black and white and there is that grey area that adds a lot more interest to it as well, and excitement I would say.’

Charity could spiral

It would be understandable if Charity went off the rails a bit after a revelation like this, and we wouldn’t blame her at all.

According to Emma Atkins, there is every chance that Charity could ‘close down’ in the aftermath of her discovery.

‘I think she has such issues with trust with what she’s been through as a teenager and again I think that’s going to be even more exacerbated by the fact that she took Chloe under her wing and Chloe was a young girl and she can almost see a reflection of herself in this young teenage girl being pregnant.

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‘I think that’s something that she’s going to be like ‘Why did nobody tell me?’ I think it’ll be shock and she’ll close down. She’ll build her wall up like she does when she feels betrayed. I think it’s going to break her, for some time.

‘But then there’s resilience with human beings, isn’t there? You have children, you have to get up in the morning. She’s going to have to face Chloe at some point.’

Chas will support Charity

As Charity attempts to carry on with life as things are falling apart around her, she will need someone to support her, and Emma thinks she knows who it will be.

‘Probably Chas (Lucy Pargeter). It’s usually Chas, isn’t it?’

Though they have had their ups and downs over the years, and been at each other’s throats more than once, they have always been there for each other, and that seems set to carry on.

Charity will also lean on Noah and Sarah as time goes on, Emma revealed.

Will Mack co-parent with Chloe?

Mack decided that he needed to be at the hospital as they waited for Reuben’s results (Picture: ITV)

With the secret out in the open, there is nothing to stop Mack seeing his son from now on, but will he go as far as co-parenting?

Jessie has suggested that Chloe may be open to the idea of Mack becoming more hands-on with Reuben, now that they don’t have to hide.

‘Prior to Reuben going to hospital there are a few moments that Chloe and Mackenzie have together and although she’s kind of overwhelmed with the whole thing of new motherhood he ends up being this little island of support for her to cling on to momentarily.

‘I don’t think she has the capacity to process how she feels about that in the moment, but as the storyline goes on she might have more time to think about how she feels about that and what it means to her. You’ll have to wait and see.’

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There’s a lot still to come…