Emmerdale star Joshua Richards admits he misses two of his co-stars following their departure from the show.
Joshua Richards has shared that he is “missing” two of his co-stars following their exit from Emmerdale.
In a recent episode of the ITV soap, Joshua’s character, Bear Wolf, became a victim of modern slavery. After leaving his home, the former wrestler tragically fell under the control of the sinister regime run by Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) and her son Ray Walters (Joe Absolom).
On Tuesday (December 30), Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) and April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) devised a plan to rescue Bear from the forced labour operation at the farm.
Having also been exploited by Ray and Celia through their drug operation and coerced sex work, the teenagers are determined to ensure Bear is safely reunited with his son, Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt), who has been anxiously searching for his father.
April managed to sneak onto the farm and attempted to persuade Bear to leave with her while he was fixing the chicken coop, but Celia suddenly appeared.
As April ran away, Celia spotted her from a distance, while Bear maintained that he hadn’t spoken to her. In a chilling twist, Celia commanded Ray to kill both April and Bear.
Reflecting on the intense slavery storyline and the eventual downfall of Celia and Ray after months of torment, Joshua revealed he now misses working with his co-stars after portraying such a powerful plot on-screen.
The actor said: “I think the viewers can’t wait to share their thoughts — the feedback I’ve been getting from people in the streets and from family and friends has been amazing.”
“They’re desperate to see them get their comeuppance. And of course, as those deciding what’s right and wrong on TV, ITV can feel justified in saying, yes, it’s time to end this, because viewers are fed up with these characters and the horrific acts they’ve been committing.
“But sadly, in real life, it doesn’t work like that — these people are everywhere, always lurking in the shadows.”
Paying tribute to the actors who played Ray and Celia, Joshua added: “I really enjoyed working with Joe Absolom and Jaye Griffiths — they’re both fantastic actors, and I do miss them now that they’ve gone. But for the storyline, I think everyone in the village benefits from their downfall.”
Reflecting on the impact of Bear Wolf’s modern slavery storyline, Joshua expressed his pride in highlighting such a harrowing issue for viewers.
He said: “I think the work done by the producers, writers, and script editors has been exceptional.
“And bringing a story like this to the forefront, one that invites analysis and discussion, is so important for the general public — it shows the kind of things that are happening right under our noses, in plain sight, in modern Britain today.”
He added, “Modern slavery is very much a reality, and it’s horrifying. I think it was incredibly brave for people to tackle this subject, and I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved as a team.
“It was a massive collaborative effort, and this is a topic that is often ignored or swept under the rug. But they brought it front and centre for us all to consider.”
Emmerdale viewers will need to tune in to see how Bear Wolf’s modern slavery storyline concludes on the ITV soap.
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