Emmerdale's Jimmy King killed off after 22 years on ITV soap

The long-running character of Jimmy King was killed off in dramatic scenes on the ITV soap Emmerdale, with his death following a car crash into the wedding marquee for Joe Tate and Dawn Taylor. The episode aired on Thursday, August 27, 2026, and depicted Jimmy succumbing to his injuries while his wife, Nicola, was by his side. The crash occurred as Jimmy swerved to avoid someone, according to a police investigation revealed in the following episode. In the moments before his death, Jimmy and Nicola shared a poignant scene where he imagined their planned wedding vow renewal. After he passed away, Nicola managed to escape the marquee with Dawn just before it exploded, leaving Joe trapped inside. The subsequent episode on August 28 revealed that Joe survived and was rushed to the hospital, where Dawn gave birth months earlier than expected. A devastated Nicola then had to break the news of Jimmy's death to their children. Actor Nick Miles, who portrayed Jimmy for 22 years, has spoken about his departure. He revealed he had nightmares about his character's death for three months before being officially told by producers in June. "I went quiet.