Emmerdale鈥檚 Dominic Brunt has voiced his worries for Paddy Kirk’s future in the village after spending 28 years portraying the beloved vet.
Making his initial appearance in 1997 as Zoe Tate’s (played by Leah Bracknell) temporary replacement at the veterinary practice, Paddy has since become a staple of the village with his career still going strong almost three decades on.
But soon, fans may see a drastic change in his storyline.
In a dramatic upcoming twist, Paddy leaps to help a sheep that鈥檚 snagged in a fence on newcomer Celia’ (Jaye Griffiths) farm.
However, his good deed takes a dark turn as he is confronted by a menacing dog, resulting in a savage attack until Bear Wolf (performed by Joshua Roberts) steps in to rescue him.
Suffering serious injuries from the ordeal, Paddy finds himself in hospital where Mandy Dingle (acted by Lisa Riley) attempts to console a shaken Bear whilst awaiting news of Paddy鈥檚 condition.
Although thankful to his father for saving his life, Paddy and Mandy are dismayed when Bear exploits the attack to undercut Paddy鈥檚 character, reports Leicestershire Live.
Discussing this intense narrative arc, Dominic shared with reporters: “I don’t think there’s any risk of dying but it’s bad injury.”
He adds insight into Paddy鈥檚 frame of mind, saying: “He thinks he can’t be a vet anymore. He has no other skills and he had a very small life experience before he came to Emmerdale. He doesn’t know anything else but he is worried about what he’s going to do.”
The aftermath leaves the room in tension as Mandy ushers Bear out, yet his stinging remarks seem to have left a mark on Paddy.
Paddy, with a sense of resolve, later retrieves the vets’ bolt gun from the cabinet and heads out.
However, Paddy’s attempt to heed Bear’s advice and confront Celia at her farm doesn’t go as planned.
Upon his return, Paddy blames Bear for his disastrous encounter with Celia, venting all his frustration over his father’s treatment of him.
After Paddy tells Bear to pack his bags, it appears the rift between the two men is now irreparable, but can they find a way to reconcile their differences?
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and available to stream from 7am on ITVX