Billy Fletcher has been a man on the sidelines lately — but Emmerdale fans don’t think that will last much longer. After being blindsided by wife Dawn Taylor’s explosive affair with Joe Tate, Billy’s world collapsed. His home, his marriage, his family — all gone in a matter of months.

But now, viewers are demanding more. And they have a bold theory: Billy’s redemption arc is just beginning — and it might come with a shocking new romance, a bitter custody twist, and a full-blown war at Home Farm.

Since the fallout from Dawn’s betrayal, Billy (played by Jay Kontzle) has been noticeably absent. While Dawn and Joe parade their relationship around with increasing comfort — now fully legitimized in the eyes of the village — Billy has quietly vanished from center stage. No revenge. No rebound. Just silence.

But that silence isn’t sitting well with longtime fans.

On Reddit, conversations are erupting with speculation about Billy’s future — and the majority agree: he needs a new direction, fast. One user sparked discussion by asking, “Now that Joe and Dawn are together and Billy is barely on screen, what’s next for him? Could he be axed?”

The response? A resounding no. Fans are rallying behind Billy — and pushing for a storyline that finally lets him fight back.

One of the most popular theories involves a surprise pairing with Manpreet Sharma, a move that would not only offer both characters a fresh start but also set the stage for a potential legal and emotional showdown with Dawn.

“Pair him with Manpreet and then have them take Dawn to court for the kids,” one fan wrote, garnering dozens of upvotes. Others suggested it’s time for Billy to reclaim his dignity — and maybe even reclaim Home Farm, the symbolic battleground where his relationship fell apart.

But why Manpreet?

The match might seem out of left field, but fans argue it’s just the kind of dynamic twist Emmerdale thrives on. Manpreet, a complex and resilient character in her own right, has the maturity and emotional depth that could ground Billy. She’s been through pain, scandal, and reinvention — just like Billy. Together, they could form a bond built not on drama, but healing.

“Manpreet would be a great choice,” one fan wrote. “She wouldn’t be some rebound. She’d understand him. And more importantly, she wouldn’t betray him for Joe bloody Tate.”

But the conversation didn’t stop there. Others floated the idea of rekindling past tension by pairing Billy with Gabby Thomas, reigniting the fiery Dawn-Gabby rivalry that once fueled some of the soap’s most chaotic plotlines.

“I think putting him with Gabby could reignite the Dawn/Gabby feud which could be fun,” another fan shared. Others even suggested a romantic twist with Kerry Wyatt, saying, “He needs someone bold and unexpected — and Kerry’s chaos would be a good match.”

While romance is at the forefront of fan theories, another recurring theme is custody — specifically, whether Billy will ever fight for the children he helped raise. Despite his quiet exit from family life, viewers haven’t forgotten how deeply he cared for Lucas and Clemmie.

“Honestly, Dawn is a terrible mum. Billy should take the kids and leave,” one blunt comment read. “He’s boring, sure, but at least he’s stable. Give him a new life away from all of them.”

One particularly impassioned fan proposed a Chloe Harris-style exit — where Billy eventually takes the children abroad for a new start, removing them from Dawn and Joe’s increasingly messy orbit.

“Channel his inner Chloe,” they wrote. “Take the kids. Disappear. Start over somewhere far away from the Tates.”

While the writers haven’t yet revealed what’s next for Billy Fletcher, the viewers have made their position clear: he deserves more. More screen time, more character development, and more fight.

In a village full of schemers, secret-keepers, and spotlight hogs, Billy has always played the quiet backbone. But maybe that’s about to change. Maybe he’s gearing up for a story that doesn’t revolve around heartbreak — but around payback.

Whether it’s a custody battle, a new love with Manpreet, or even an unexpected return to Home Farm with a vengeance, Emmerdale has a golden opportunity to take a background character and turn him into a headline-maker.

The question now is: will they?

Because while Dawn and Joe are busy enjoying their happily ever after, they might want to look over their shoulders. Billy Fletcher’s next move could be the one that ruins everything they’ve built.