GoodByeđThe star who played Paddy in Emmerdale has ‘confirmed’ his departure from Emmerdale.
Paddy Dingle covered up a murder(Image: ITV)
A beloved Emmerdale star has confirmed their break from the soap, but could this spell trouble for their character?
It’s been an eventful few months for Paddy Dingle (played by Dominic Brunt) following his discovery that his father, Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards), was being held prisoner by villains Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) and Ray Walters (Joe Absolom).
Ray infamously murdered his mother on New Year’s Day, shortly before suffering a similar end at Bear’s hands. Paddy and Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) subsequently chose to conceal Ray’s killing, weeks before a remorseful Bear owned up to the crime.
This week, Emmerdale has been airing a court trial focusing on Bear, Paddy and Dylan, with a jury being asked to determine whether any of the them are guilty. The proceedings were progressing smoothly until defence witness Simo Clarke (Steven Gidwaney) suddenly switched sides on the stand, portraying Bear as being in cahoots with Ray, reports the Express.
Following the court’s adjournment, Bear’s defence barrister outlined the circumstances and, with no alternative remaining, she proposed putting Bear on the stand the following day, with Paddy reluctantly consenting. Will Bear manage to present his version of events?
Emmerdale has been airing a dramatic court trial(Image: ITV)
Actor Dominic Brunt, who portrays Paddy, appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Tuesday (May 5), where he spoke to presenters Ed Balls and Kate Garraway about the trial storyline.
Ed promptly enquired about Paddy’s imprisonment possibilities, asking: “What’s your feeling about whether he deserves it?” Dominic responded: “Well, you can’t go round murdering people, no matter what, then hiding bodies in vans. You can’t do it, can you?”
Expressing her concern for Paddy, Kate then queried: “Oh, no! But what does it mean for you?”
The soap actor continued: “[They] have to let the law take its course, you have to… You have to believe in the legal system, don’t you? You have to. That would be no good for us in Emmerdale because the graveyard’s full at the moment. You have to go around murdering some people.”
Kate remarked: “Just as long as this isn’t the end of Dominic as Paddy, because we love you in it.”
Hinting at a potential departure, Dominic then disclosed: “Well, I’ve got a bit of time off now, so I can’t tell you what happens.”
Dominic Brunt appeared on Good Morning Britain(Image: ITV)
“Oh, what are we reading into that?” Kate responded, with Dominic adding: “I might be on holiday, I don’t know.” Ed then suggested: “On holiday at Her Majesty’s pleasure?” with the actor concluding: “Maybe, who knows!”
Paddy’s fate was confirmed in Tuesday’s (May 5) episode, which is now available to stream on ITVX. In gripping scenes, the jury foreman announced that they had found one defendant guilty and the other two not guilty.
While many viewers may presume the guilty party was Bear, it was actually Paddy who received a 12-month suspended sentence, to be served over two years. “A man died, and even though he was evil and he was cruel, someone had to be held accountable for that,” Paddy said to his dad as they stood in an empty field after the trial.
Paddy’s suspended sentence means he can remain in the village. However, some viewers speculate this could change, with one individual posting on a Facebook fan page: “Paddy could get wrong place wrong time and he’ll be jailed.”
Another chimed in: “Why do I think this isn’t the end for Paddy?” while a third commented: “I think Paddy will have to spend time in jail at some point.”
