Emmerdale’s Joshua Richards teases a “profound” storyline for his character Bear Wolf as the former wrestler struggles with life back in the village.
In recent scenes of the ITV soap, Bear has been seen clashing with his son Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) and his temper flared, leading to increased tension. After trying and failing to connect with his dad, Paddy was left feeling brushed off.
The drama intensified when an altercation involving a dog attack, led by newcomer Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) lands, saw Bear step in to defend his son, only to later lash out at Paddy’s passive-approach to life with stinging criticism.
Bear’s advice to Paddy to toughen up against bullies doesn’t go as planned, resulting in resentment and Bear being kicked out. Although initially set for Ireland, Bear’s departure took everyone by surprise when he left the village suddenly.
In an interview with OK! and other outlets, Joshua Richards shared insights into Bear’s isolation and search for purpose since he can’t turn to wrestling or old friends who’ve either passed on or become too unwell for visits, reports Belfast Live.
Channeling the heartache of losing loved ones and the harsh realities of ageing, Richards said: “Bear no longer has the wrestling circuit, old friends passed away, a lot of them are infirm, like going to visit his friend in Ireland doesn’t happen because the friend can’t face it, because it’s too much, and also he’s grieving for his wife.”
He stated: “So a lot of people shut down and keep themselves at home when they get to a certain age. Or they can go down the route of the sea of mobility scooters outside of Wetherspoons in the afternoon.”
Joshua explained that Bear’s exit from the show was not due to dementia but hinted at a significant upcoming storyline. He said: “He had planned to go to Ireland to see his friend, but that has fallen through, so where does he go? The thing is, he’s too humiliated to go back.”
Joshua added: “But also I think it’s more than humiliation, it’s the sort of confusion of ‘who am I? What is my purpose in life, and what do I do?”
He continued: “To have a revelation of that age, of course, because he is 78, is a big thing to do. It’s almost like ‘luckily there is no dementia’, but it is like somebody with dementia stumbling off into the countryside not knowing where they are or where they are going or what their purpose in life is.”
He expressed his enthusiasm for his character’s return, stating: “I am very excited about his return. I do love to work, I’m not mad on inactivity for a long period of time, as any actor is.”
Joshua concluded: “You want to be there doing something and having the great fun of taking on a major storyline. It’s exciting and I’m really looking forward to coming back.”
He also teased that his character’s storyline is significant, saying: “It’s quite a major subject. I did a play about it quite a few years ago. It’s riveting and very quiet, profound.”