Future scenes of Emmerdale will see Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) return, but it’s obvious he’s still having serious mental health issues.
Paddy suffered a great loss when he learned of his wife Chas’s (Lucy Pargeter) extramarital affair last year. The anger and sadness he felt as a result of this cost him dearly because he believed his future with her had been destroyed.
Paddy found it inexcusable that Chas had intended to take his daughter Eve (Bella James) and her lover Al Chapman (Michael Wildman) away to live together, but as Chas was progressively accepted back into the Dingle family, Paddy felt himself growing more and more alone.
Reaching out to an old friend and ex-wife, Mandy (Lisa Riley), seemed like a good move, but after drinking too much, the two ended up having a sexual encounter, and as a result, Paddy disappeared.
In the upcoming scenes, he makes his long-awaited return to the hamlet and reunites with Eve, Marlon (Mark Charnock), Bear (Joshua Richards), and others. However, when Paddy is by himself, we can see the true toll that the circumstance is having on him and how, despite having so many of his friends and family nearby, he still feels totally alone.
‘Paddy is typically very happy-go-lucky in life, always joking and having a laugh, but what we see is that recent events have really taken their toll,’ said show producer Jane Hudson.
Paddy begins to feel increasingly alone, isolated, and overwhelmed by his emotions despite being well-liked and surrounded by a large number of friends and family members, which causes him to have some very dark thoughts.
He goes about his day making up with his family and friends, but they are unaware that he is truly saying goodbye because he intends to commit suicide.
Jane remarked, “I believe it’s really important that we play this story to its fullest and we show that journey, and it’s not an easy journey,” as the tale developed. It requires time, you need the help of your friends, and you need to have faith in both yourself and other people.
“We’ll watch Paddy embark on that quest to rediscover himself.”
Alongside Emmerdale, the Samaritans and the men’s suicide prevention organisation Andy’s Man Club have collaborated on this plot. Their unwavering support and wisdom, according to Jane, “have helped us shape Paddy’s path into a true reflection of what thousands of men, unfortunately, go through every year.”
