Adam Thomas has opened up about his journey with grief almost three years after he tried to save his dad's life. The Waterloo Road star shared a clip from the latest episode of BBC One show which sees his character, Donte Charles, talking about the loss of his wife, Chlo.
Fans were left both furious and in tears earlier this month when the hit school-based drama returned to screens for the first time in almost eight years. The show, which ran from 2006 to 2015, was first filmed at Hill Top Primary School in Rochdale before relocating to Scotland. And the reboot has seen the team return to Greater Manchester.
The new series has also seen Adam reprise his role as Donte and fans were thrilled that Katie Griffiths also returned to the role of Chlo and that the former teenage sweethearts could be seen several years on with two children of their own, Izzy and Tommy, played by Adam's real-life niece and son.
However, in the midst of an out-of-control protest, which caused traffic chaos outside the school, Chlo was knocked over as she walked the rest of the journey to her planned meeting at the school a few steps behind her daughter. Luckily, Chlo appeared fine with just a sprained wrist and despite getting the date of her meeting wrong, was keen to pitch her animal therapy idea to her former teacher.
After returning home later in the day to her worried husband Donte, Chlo revealed she had realised she wanted to become a teaching assistant at the school. After enjoying a family meal of fish and chips, a tragic turn of events saw Chlo collapse in the kitchen. As Donte shouted for his daughter to phone and ambulance, the dad and his kids were soon seen arriving at the hospital.
And in a shock ending, Donte was delivered the devastating news that Chlo had died and viewers watched as he and his children sobbed in the corridor of the hospital. Donte has since been struggling with the loss of his wife, with little Izzy pointing out his parenting mishaps, or the things her mum wouldn't have forgotten or got wrong.
Following the recent scene in which Donte faces his loss and his grief, Adam took to Instagram to share how filming the emotional scenes have helped him come to terms with his own loss. Adam's dad Dougie Thomas died in November 2020, aged 72. The much-loved Manchester music promoter was the lead singer of the 1970s band Dougie James and the Soul Train and even toured with The Jackson Five.
Former Emmerdale star Adam has previously told how he 'jumped up and down' on his late father Dougie in an attempt to resuscitate him. While breaking down in tears on the Mancs On The Mic podcast, which he presents alongside brothers Scott and Ryan, in May last year, he recalled: "I remember getting out of the car and running upstairs in Scott's house, and just seeing him there laying on the sofa.
"I just thought 'I've got to try and help him so I'm taking him off the couch and I'm trying to resuscitate him, I don't know whether I'm doing it right or whether I'm doing it wrong. I remember just thinking, 'Wow, this is just not how I expected it to go'. I'm crying my eyes out going, 'Come on, dad.' I'm jumping up and down on my dad, trying to save him."
Writing in his latest Instagram post, Adam thanked Waterloo Road for addressing such an important topic. "Just want to thank this show and the important storylines, that are shown throughout the series. One of which is Donte’s storyline of grief," he penned. "I didn’t realise how much I was grieving until I actually started the research into the storyline. As you know I lost my dad not too long ago and the sad truth is, I’ve never come to terms with the fact that he had gone, I just didn’t want to accept it.
"I would always talk about him, I would always listen to his music…but truth again is, I’ve not listened to his music since he passed. But now, I do talk about him! I have accepted the fact that he has gone and although he may have gone his stories live on…Through us!"
He went on to share: "My dad’s life is to be TALKED about, to be LAUGHED about and to be CELEBRATED!! otherwise what was it all for… memories and stories are all we have left sometimes, and I choose to share mine. Life has a funny way of working itself out and I’m a firm believer of everything happening for a reason.
"Donte’s story helped my story and I hope my story can help yours. My love goes to anyone who has lost someone, but I want you to know you’re not alone and you can talk about it, and that there are people who will listen…when you’re ready." He then shared a link to the charity, Mind, for anybody struggling with grief.
And the comments were also quickly flooded with messages from his fans and followers. But twin brother Scott, who previously starred on Love Island, who was among the first to respond, writing: "Unbelievable my brother, exactly where you belong doing what you do best…Dad lives on through you."
READ NEXT:
- ITV Love Island fans ask 'why' after spotting Zara's habit as past with Olivia is exposed
- ITV Coronation Street fans spot problems with Alya stabbing scenes as Max watches on
- BBC EastEnders fans distracted by the same thing as Patsy Kensit makes soap debut as Lola's mum
- ITV Love Island 2022 star Jacques O'Neill sends cheeky message after Anna-May's dumping
