Emmerdale airs emotional scenes as Marlon gets through to Paddy
Paddy was stopped from taking his own life.
This article contains discussions of suicide and suicidal thoughts which some readers may find upsetting.
Emmerdale aired an emotional outcome for Paddy Kirk's (Dominic Brunt) suicide storyline tonight (3rd March), as his best friend Marlon Dingle's (Mark Charnock) heartfelt words stopped him in his tracks.
Marlon and family were devastated when they realised that Paddy had gone missing with the intention of taking his own life, and things took another unsettling turn as the ITV soap continued.
Paddy's colleague - and Marlon's wife - Rhona Goskirk (Zoë Henry) soon delivered some more distressing news to his dad Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) when she revealed that the bolt gun had been taken from the vet surgery.
Marlon, meanwhile, insisted on joining Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) in the search despite his own exhaustion. Eventually, after wading through the woods, the pair found him sat on the outskirts of a field.
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Paddy didn't want to speak to Chas, so she stepped away as Marlon took over and urged Paddy to put the gun down. In moving scenes, Marlon relayed how he just wanted to hug his friend - and scream at him at the same time.
Through tears, Marlon apologised for letting Paddy down, and Paddy explained that he didn't want to worry him; and had kept quiet because he knew that Marlon would talk him out of taking such awful action. Marlon then begged him to keep fighting, and warned Paddy that this would be killing him too.
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As Marlon's unconditional love finally made Paddy drop the gun, the two men shared a hug, before Marlon and Chas took Paddy back home to The Woolpack. Doctor Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) arrived to have a private chat with Paddy, and although he was quiet, the beloved character opened up by admitting his note wasn't a cry for help and he wished he hadn't been found.
Chas, Marlon and Bear were upset when Liam, after prescribing Paddy with anti-depressants, suggested he should go private for help as the NHS was so swamped. Liam insisted he would be on hand for support, and the group discussed charities like Samaritans, who Chas urged Marlon to call.
Paddy later spoke with Marlon who urged him to promise not to try and take his own life again. Paddy could only agree that he didn't want to do so that day, and Marlon conceded for now. As the morning dawned, Paddy was overwhelmed when faced with the careful approach of his loved ones, leading him to walk out.
Sadly, the situation took yet another heartbreaking turn when Marlon's daughter April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) overheard Chas talking about Paddy's previous plan. She was distraught, now knowing the truth behind Marlon's recent recovery setback.
April confronted Paddy, asking how he could consider taking his own life, and he failed to react as she tearfully pleaded with him. When she'd gone, Marlon apologised to Paddy and explained that April, and everyone else, loved him.
Paddy told him that nothing could get through his "wall of nothing", and Marlon promised that the fog would lift. When Marlon begged him to keep finding reasons to stay alive, Paddy could only reply "all I'm saying is, I'm here now."
Will Paddy accept the help he needs to get better?
If you have been affected by Paddy's story, you can find help and support by visiting the Samaritans and Andy's Man Club websites. The NHS website also provides advice on how to seek help if you're experiencing suicidal thoughts.
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Emmerdale airs on weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Soaps hub.
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