PADDY Kirk’s mental well-being is becoming a growing cause for concern.
Next week in Emmerdale, Marlon Dingle is caught in a race with the vet’s dark thoughts and tries to save him.
Paddy Kirk is set for a harrowing suicide and depression storyline
He returns to the village next week
His behaviour becomes a cause for concern
The beloved character portrayed by Dominic Brunt was confirmed to be at the centre of a new harrowing storyline about male depression.
As ITV viewers will remember, Paddy hurriedly fled from the eponymous village after spending a drunken night with former flame Mandy Dingle, claiming he was only going to buy milk.
Mandy and Paddy’s soon-to-be ex-wife Chas both tried to find him when the police called off their search for him, as it became clear Paddy didn’t want to be found.
But in scenes due to air next week, Paddy finally comes out of his isolation and everyone is stunned to see a dishevelled Paddy standing in the doorway with a holdall.
His friend Marlon Dingle (played by Mark Charnock) simmers but makes a beeline for him, relieved to see him alive.
Chas (Lucy Pargeter), on the other hand, is irritated by Paddy’s behaviour, unaware it could be a cry for help.
When Paddy’s father Bear (Joshua Richards) enters with his daughter Eve, the family have an emotional reunion and Chas softens when she spots the hurt and sadness in Paddy’s eyes.
Paddy soon plays up his happiness to get a concerned Marlon off his back but his façade crumbles once the chef leaves and it’s clear he’s utterly bereft and broken.
In later scenes, he does what many people with a death plan do and ties up any loose end in the Dales by seemingly making amends with both family and friends.
Sadly, these are unaware that Paddy is saying his veiled goodbyes and he leaves his father Bear a letter.
Later on, Paddy is nowhere to be found once again… leaving his father to find the letter.
Despite his progress in recent months, Marlon feels helpless watching on everyone scrambling to go and find Paddy as he’s still recovering from his stroke.
He gets bolstered to join the search when his wife Rhona (Zoe Henry) delivers the appalling news about the missing bolt gun from the vet surgery.
Marlon is mortified as the reality of Paddy’s real plan dawns on him and he races against time to try and find him.
Paddy’s world fell apart after Belle Dingle told him all about Chas’ affair with Al Chapman.
The illicit romance had devastating consequences and the Woolpack bar manager mourned for the businessman in silence for weeks before she was exposed.
She has made plans with him to leave the village and move into a new home with him and her daughter Eve.
To make matters worse, she then told Paddy her love for Al had been stronger than the one she’d felt for him.
Paddy was tipped over the edge after rekindling his connection with Mandy for one night.
Will Marlon find him in time?
Emmerdale airs weeknights from 7.30pm on ITV.
It’s soon clear Paddy is tying up loose ends in the village
His father Bear makes a horrific discovery
