Emmerdale announces heartbreaking new twist in Paddy's story

As he begins to feel more and more alone, Paddy will start having suicidal thoughts, and along the way viewers will see the extent of his depression.

Last year, the vet discovered that wife Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) had an affair with Al Chapman (Michael Wildman), who she would have started a new life with had he not been killed.

Recently, Paddy learned that Chas loved Al much more than she had ever loved him - a harsh blow that left him further heartbroken. Although Paddy has tried to maintain his composure for the sake of co-parenting their young daughter Eve, his mental health is at serious risk.

He has found himself making careless mistakes at work, and can't bring himself to reach out to dad Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) or close pal Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock).

In scenes airing on Thursday 9th February, Paddy will suddenly go missing from the village. It will later be revealed that he is staying at a guest house nearby, but Paddy will not want to be found as he stays hidden from his worried loved ones.

However, in March, Paddy will return home to say a series of veiled goodbyes to his oblivious family and friends, before leaving with the intention of taking his own life.

Emmerdale is working closely with Samaritans and Andy’s Man Club to portray Paddy's story authentically, and Lorna Fraser, executive lead for Samaritans’ media advisory service, said: “Paddy’s story creates an opportunity to show others, particularly middle-aged men, however difficult times can become, it's always possible to get help and get through, and ultimately recover.

"Depression and suicide are extremely serious topics, so we’re pleased to have seen the producers work so hard to ensure they got this story right in its telling. We encourage anyone touched by this story to reach out to Samaritans, our amazing volunteers are always here to listen, day and night.”

Neil Waine from Andy’s Man Club added: “Andy's Man Club are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across well over 100 venues in the United Kingdom and online.

"We want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation and we are absolutely delighted that ITV and Emmerdale are tackling this vitally important subject and helping raise awareness that #ITSOKAYTOTALK."

Earlier this year, actor Dominic Brunt told RadioTimes.com that he would be part of a big storyline in the spring - but at the time, he was unable to reveal further details. Now speaking about the news, Brunt explained how he feels about the next chapter for Paddy.

"It’s a huge honour and a great responsibility to be portraying this storyline," he said. "It’s an inherent problem in today’s society that most men don’t talk enough about their problems. 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. It’s also a privilege to be working alongside The Samaritans and Andy’s Man Club in highlighting this issue.”

Anyone relating to Paddy's story 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.

Read more:

• Emmerdale star Dominic Brunt teases “interesting” new Paddy story
• 6 Emmerdale spoilers: Cain gets revenge on Will & Caleb causes suspicion

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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