The soap star refused to confirm whether or not the Dales bad boy is really dead – sending fans into a whirlwind on Twitter.
Asked by hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford if Joe was gone for good, Jeff – who plays Cain Dingle in the ITV favourite – kept his response vague.
He dished: "As far as Cain's concerned Joe's dead and people are asking the question, 'Is he alive or not?' but as far as Cain's concerned he's dead and as far as Debbie's concerned he's dead."
But the TV presenters didn't leave it there as Eamonn again pried moments later.
Jeff once again insisted he had no idea if Joe – played by Ned Porteous – was really dead or alive.
He explained: "In terms of scripts and what I know and where it's going at the moment, I've not seen any evidence in the scripts that say otherwise otherwise."
Viewers instantly dissected Jeff's remarks, with many speculating Joe was still very much alive but just wouldn't be back for a while.
One wrote: "#ThisMorning so basically Jeff saying Cain thinks Joe's dead. Aha!"
Another tweeted: "So Joe isn't dead then #Emmerdale #ThisMorning."
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A third concurred: "#ThisMorning I think they have left it in Emmerdale that Joe could come back."
Another suggested: "So if Cain and Debbie think he is dead, means ITV keeping door open to drag out as long as possible for "talkability". #ThisMorning."
Jeff appeared on the show alongside onscreen daughter Charley Webb, who stars as Debbie Dingle.
The pair are both at the centre of the Joe Tate storyline as Cain believes he punched him to death on the day he was supposed to marry Debbie.
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