Emmerdale vet Paddy Kirk has been brought to life by Dominic Brunt for a remarkable 28 years, and the actor is no stranger to the show’s dramatic twists and turns.
However, turmoil strikes in an upcoming Emmerdale storyline airing on ITV as Paddy becomes the victim of a frightening dog attack. Dominic Brunt shares insight on his character’s phobias, revealing, “He’s already scared of horses; now he’s got something else to be scared of.”
The drama unfolds when Paddy comes across a sheep caught in fencing and intervenes, only to be viciously set upon by a protective dog, resulting in severe injuries.
Despite the harrowing onscreen events, Dominic had high regard for the Alsatian involved in the scenes, commending the dog’s performance and demeanour off-camera.
Dominic fondly recalls how skilled the animal was, saying, “That dog could do anything, he was amazing,” and adds, “He’s an evil-looking thing.
He’d growl and slabber everywhere but you felt really safe because as soon as someone pulled out his favourite food, he’d start wagging his tail. It was a big game to the dog but it was really impressive.”
Paddy’s ordeal leads to a significant turning point, with his confidence taking a major hit, especially given his existing fear of horses. Dominic explains the impact of the incident on Paddy’s state of mind.
“He worries about the fact that he won’t be able to do his job anymore,” and notes the gravity of the situation as Paddy faces uncertainty about his future with limited alternative skills. “He has no other skills and he’s going to have to work it out what he’s going to do in the future.”
Paddy’s not the only one facing tough times. He’s been fretting over his dad Bear (Joshua Richards), who’s been battling with his mental health. “Paddy’s kicking himself that he hasn’t noticed,” Dominic shares, “But the attack makes him see eye to eye with his dad.”
Tragically, just as they begin to bond, Bear takes off. “Bear leaves the village for a good, long while,” Dominic hints, “But he has a big story coming up. We’ll explain where he’s been.”
In the wake of Paddy’s ordeal, Emmerdale is set to introduce a fresh character: Jaye Griffiths steps into the role of Celia, a straight-talking farmer who stirs things up and attempts to negotiate a deal with Moira Dingle.
Dominic was ecstatic about working alongside her. “She’s just unbelievable,” he enthuses, “I was aware of her from various long-standing shows she’s been in.
I did her screen test. They saw loads of people for the part, and it came down to the final eight. All the actresses were fantastic but she brought something extra. It’s one of those scenes where you think, ‘This is something special.’ I can’t wait for people to meet her.”
With nearly 30 years in the soap world, Dominic has also formed close friendships off-screen. For nine years, he and his mate Mark Charnock hosted a zombie film festival in Leeds, supporting the World Animal Protection.
“We don’t do it anymore, I don’t know why,” Dominic reflects, “There’s only so many zombie films you can show. We have children and we live quite far apart now.”
Distance has never been an issue in his friendship with Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle. “We were still friends when Lisa left. We stayed in contact all the time and met up for lunch,” he shares.
“She’s a friend for life. When they brought us back together, it was like slipping on an old pair of shoes. We’re very close, we know each other’s thoughts.” Dominic speaks just as fondly about his other on-screen partners. “I worked with Zoe Henry for years and we became really close.
Then they put me with Lucy Pargeter and we were best friends for seven, or eight years,” Dominic reveals. “I was really pleased that, although I wasn’t with them, I was back to my original best friend.”
While he may save all sorts of animals as Paddy on Emmerdale, Dominic prefers simpler pets at home: three dogs and a cluster of cats. “I’m more of a cat person but in recent years, I’ve swayed towards dogs. They get you out – we live in the middle of nowhere, and I enjoy taking walks,” he admits.
Dominic has also spoken out about his desire for Emmerdale to delve deeper into Paddy’s mental health journey. In 2023, the much-loved vet was diagnosed with depression after battling isolation and grief.
Since the diagnosis, he has become associated with Andy’s Man Club, a national men’s mental health charity. “I’d like to see more mention of the fact that it still relies on the Samaritans and Andy’s Man club, but they’re going to sprinkle a bit of that,” Dominic hopes.
“He has to have one eye on the fact that this can come back and a dog attack can spring it back up. This happens to people with depression – they can feel well for years and then they’re back there. Nobody’s ever out of the woods.”
Away from the cameras, Dominic keeps himself occupied. He plays the mandolin and has a fascination for archaeology – he’s even studied it.
“I get these intense obsessions that last about four to five years, then I’ll get bored very quickly and drop it all, it’s weird,” he admits. “I return to them but they become more of a hobby than an obsession.”
However, it’s Emmerdale that truly captivates him. “It’s still an incredible job,” he says, “I’m still nervous when I have masses of lines to do and really well-written scenes.”
But it’s one of the best jobs in the world. As long as they keep writing these storylines, I’m sold. I’m very loyal to the show and I still love it to pieces. “.