09 February 2023 , 00:01
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Emmerdale has confirmed a heartbreaking storyline is in the works for fan favourite Paddy Kirk as the character next month considers taking his own life.
Paddy, who is played by long-time soap star Dominic Brunt, has been in a place of grief and confusion amid the breakdown of his marriage to Chas Dingle following the revelation of her affair with Al Chapman.
The ITV soap has now confirmed that, feeling alone and struggling to find his place in people’s lives, Paddy will begin having suicidal thoughts.
As he contends with these, Emmerdale viewers will see the true extent of Paddy’s deep depression in a storyline actor Dominic has said is a ‘great responsibility’.
Describing depression among men as ‘an inherent problem’, he continued: “Most men don’t talk enough about their problems.
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Emmerdale viewers will see the true extent of Paddy’s deep depression“We bottle them up, we don’t want to bother anyone, we become embarrassed, we feel we should be strong and not show weakness.
“If this story can shine a light on the issue or make even a small change to someone’s outlook or viewpoint, then it will have been worth it.”
To bring this story to the screen, Emmerdale researchers and writers have worked closely with both Samaritans and Andy’s Man Club in order to tell Paddy’s story as authentically as possible.
Paddy and Chas have both been trying to parent their little one Eve while continuing to live together above the busy Woolpack pub.
Viewers will see Paddy suddenly leave the village tonightYet with the constant reminders of her infidelity, their shared grief over the loss of their daughter Grace and daily bickering, the situation has taken its toll on Paddy’s mental health.
His work as a vet has suffered as a result and he has made some uncharacteristically careless mistakes.
Paddy has felt unable to reach out for support from anyone, in spite of a close network of friends including his lifelong best friends Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) and Rhona Goskirk ( Zoe Henry ).
Consequently, during an emotional episode on the Dales tonight, viewers will see Paddy suddenly leave the village without telling his friends or family.
Paddy has felt unable to reach out for support from anyone (ITV)Although Paddy will soon be found staying locally in a guest house, it will be clear he is struggling with his mental health and not planning on reconnecting with his loved ones for some time.
In March Paddy will return to his village, when completely unbeknownst to his close friends he will say some veiled goodbyes before leaving again with the aim of ending his own life.
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Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw explained: “As soon as we started discussing this story we knew that it was vital for us to get it right and that we needed to open up the conversation about male depression and suicide.
Paddy and Chas have both been trying to parent their little one Eve“Paddy is usually 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.
“Despite him being popular and having lots of friends and family around him, Paddy starts to feel increasingly lonely, isolated and overwhelmed by his feelings and this leads to him having some very dark thoughts.
“We've worked really closely with Samaritans and Andy's Man Club every step of the way through this story and their incredible support and insight has helped us to shape Paddy's journey into a true reflection of what thousands of men sadly go through every year.”
*If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch