EMMERDALE bosses considered axing Paddy Kirk’s suicide storyline.
The ITV bravely tackled the vet’s spiralling depression in a hard-hitting episode that saw him plan his own death before being found and talked out of it.
But taking on the subject matter was a difficult one for the soap to do.
They worked with the Samaritans and Andy’s Man Club in order to get it right - but producer Laura Shaw has revealed that had Paddy actor Dominic Brunt not wanted to do it, they would have axed it immediately.
Laura said told The Sun and other media: “We knew at Emmerdale that we really wanted to shine a light on men's mental health and how middle-aged men are more likely to die by suicide than any other age group.
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“Sometimes you can have a brilliant idea and a story you want to play but it can be years until you play it, if it all, because i'ts all about the characters.”
The producer also revealed how bosses decided to allow any and all cast and crew to opt out of working on the storyline - no questions asked.
She said: “With any serious or triggering subject matter, we pre-warn anyone on it what we're doing and why and to talk to us if there's any thing worrying them.
“This subject matter can be, and has been, uncomfortable at times so we have to make sure everyone is ok with that and if anyone isn't, they absolutely didn't need to work on it.”
Viewers were left in tears as the scenes played out on Friday night.
“You weren’t supposed to find me,” Paddy said as Marlon and Chas arrived having tracked him down.
“This is everything I am now. Pathetic. So pathetic that I couldn’t even pull the trigger. I’m not trying to hurt myself.”
He sent Chas away from him but she hung back watching Marlon breaking down trying to get through to his best mate.
“If you do this, you kill me too,” Marlon said.
“Please put the gun down. You have no idea how many people love you, do you? You’re hurting and you don’t know when you’re going to stop hurting but that’s why I’m here.”
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Paddy told him: “I don’t want to talk, I want to be dead.”
Marlon then tried another tack, telling him: “But Eve, you know what’s it like, you grew up knowing your dad had taken his own life.
“You stood at his funeral and you probably cried your eyes out. Picture your funeral as they lower daddy’s coffin into the ground, can you see her tears, knowing that she’ll grow up without you?”
That worked and Paddy was taken home where the family could keep an eye on him - but they were warned by Dr Liam that they faced a long road to get him back to the Paddy they knew.
