Dominic Brunt has shared a thoughtful yet honest response to how he has coped with playing out his latest storyline. The actor is famed for playing loveable vet Paddy Kirk in the ITV soap and fans have been left saddened to see the character struggling in recent weeks and months.
Earlier this month, Paddy left the fictional Yorkshire village following an impromptu reunion with his former wife, Mandy Dingle. But while Paddy's decision to suddenly leave came as a surprise to his family who hunted him down and tried to bring him home, viewers have watched the vet suffering since the breakdown of his marriage when he discovered his wife Chas had been cheating with the now-late Al Chapman.
However, in scenes aired on Tuesday night (February 28), Emmerdale fans saw a dishevelled Paddy standing in the doorway of The Woolpack with a holdall, much to the surprise of his loved ones. It didn't take Marlon long to make a beeline for him but estranged wife Chas was left irritated by Paddy's behaviour.
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Then, when Bear entered with Paddy's daughter Eve, it’s an emotional reunion for all and Chas softens when she realises the hurt and sadness in Paddy’s eyes. Paddy tried to play up his happiness to get Marlon off his back but when Marlon left, Paddy’s facade crumbled as he was left utterly bereft and broken.
But in scenes to air in the ITV soap later this week, viewers will see Paddy consider taking his own life. Feeling alone and struggling to find his place in people’s lives, Paddy will begin having suicidal thoughts and as he contends with these, the audience will see the true extent of Paddy’s deep depression.
As Paddy goes about his day seemingly making amends with family and friends, unbeknownst to them all, Paddy is actually saying his veiled goodbyes and leaves his dad Bear a letter. Later with Paddy having gone, Bear makes the horrifying discovery of the letter. Helpless Marlon is distressed as everyone scrambles to go and find Paddy and when Rhona delivers the appalling news about the missing bolt gun from the vet surgery, the reality of what he is doing is all too worrying as they hope they can find him in time.
The ITV programme has worked closely with emotional support charity Samaritans and men's suicide prevention scheme Andy’s Man Club since August to ensure the scenes accurately "shine a light on male mental health", producer Laura Shaw told the Manchester Evening News and other press.
Dominic, who has played Paddy since 1997, shared how he was told about the storyline towards the end of last summer, which he says was unusual as he usually enjoys reading the scripts as a fan every two weeks. "I appreciated the fact that I was being brought in quite early, it's very unusual," the actor told us.
"To know what the story was months in advance was really healthy and it helped me to start colouring in and start drip-feeding the beginnings and the kernel of the story. And also, it was a window into the mechanics of how it as going to work, who was going to be involved and the scale of it."
He added: "I don't like putting any input into the scripts. I'm definitely the pawn as in I move where people move and I say what people have written for me but I really felt included. I felt a huge sense of responsibility on my shoulders to get it right and I've done my best but I've felt very looked after and very involved and it made me trust the whole process."
Asked how he felt after filming the upcoming emotional scenes, Dominic shifted the focus from himself to those who he spoke to during his research. "I just tried my best," he said. "I couldn’t let myself even open a little door to the black dogs that these people experience. I was pretending, the scripts and the dialogue was so good and the journey there and the curve were so clear that it was almost easy to do.
"However, the emotion that you had to visit had to be shaken off almost immediately, and I felt supported. But I've got an hour's drive home. I get the radio back on and make sure I get some sleep that night. I’m not suffering like that, I’m a stupid actor with a script in their hands.
"However, I was privileged and honoured to serve that story. But it didn’t touch the sides for me because I know what it’s like for someone to really really go through that. So yes, I felt fine. I'm fine."
Dominic also said he didn’t want to "squander the opportunity" to give the subject a platform among audiences and encourage men not to "suffer in silence". On his hopes for the storyline, the soap star said: "I hope as many people watch it as possible. I think we’ve got the perfect medium in soap to give this subject matter a platform.
"I hope we told the story as clearly as possible because every single situation is unique, every single person that goes through this is unique. They’ve got their own set of circumstances that have led them to this pinnacle of depression and I hope we told Paddy’s story as clearly as possible."
Anyone who needs support can call Samaritans free of charge on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website.
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