There are sad scenes ahead in Emmerdale when Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) says goodbye to his loved ones as he experiences suicidal thoughts.
The last couple of months have been difficult for Paddy since he discovered that his wife Chas (Lucy Pargeter) was having an affair with Al Chapman, which led to their separation.
Due to Paddy and Chas’s shared parenting responsibility for their daughter Eve, Paddy has been living unhappily with Chas above the Woolpack pub.
The constant reminders of her infidelity, their shared grief over the loss of their daughter Grace, and the daily bickering between them has all had an adverse effect on his mental health.
Consequently, during the episode which airs on ITV1 on Thursday 9th February viewers will see Paddy suddenly leave the village without telling his friends or family.
The next time he is seen in a guest house, he will be struggling with his mental health, and when he returns to the village in March, he will say some veiled goodbyes before leaving again with the intent of ending his life.
Actor Dominic Brunt 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.”
Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw said the storyline’s purpose is to “open up the conversation about male depression and suicide”.
Shaw added:
“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. He starts to feel increasingly lonely, isolated and overwhelmed by his feelings and this leads to him having some very dark thoughts.”
The soap has worked with Samaritans and Andy’s Man Club on the storyline.
Lorna Fraser, Executive Lead for Samaritans’ Media Advisory Service said the storyline would convey that “however difficult times become, it’s always possible to get help and get through, and ultimately recover.”
Neil Waine from Andy’s Man Club said: “We want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation and we are delighted that Emmerdale are tackling this vitally important subject.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK.
Andy’s Man Club are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across over 100 venues in the United Kingdom and online. Find out more at andysmanclub.co.uk
