EXCLUSIVE: Emmerdale star responds to fan backlash over grim storyline with 10-word defence
Emmerdale legend Dominic Brunt, who plays Paddy Dingle on the ITV soap, has shared his true feelings about an exit in a recent dark storyline, saying 'you cannot let people get away with that'
Emmerdale legend Dominic Brunt, who plays Paddy Dingle on the ITV soap, has shared his true feelings about an exit(Image: ITV)
One Emmerdale star has had his say on a recent brutal exit from the ITV soap, defending the show’s dark scenes.
Paddy Dingle actor Dominic Brunt has shared his thoughts on the demise of villain Ray Walters, who was k.i.l.l.e.d off in a whodunnit earlier this month, defending the scenes by saying “you just simply cannot let people get away with that”. Flashbacks revealed Paddy’s father Bear Wolf was the k.i.l.l.er, and now Paddy and teenager Dylan Penders are covering up the crime.
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Dominic shared his true feelings over how the modern slavery storyline ended, and whether Ray should have been k.i.l.l.e.d off. We put the question to him after fans remained divided over whether it was the right conclusion.
Many fans had hoped Ray would be sent to prison to face justice for his crimes, while some also wanted a redemption arc. Others were in agreement that him dying was the only way, but some fans weren’t keen on the fact that he d.i.e.d at the same time as two other villains.
One Emmerdale star has had his say on a recent brutal exit from the ITV soap, defending the show’s dark scenes(Image: ITV)
Dominic backed the ending for Ray though, telling us: “We were lucky to have Joe Absolom who plays Ray, because he’s just a brilliant actor, and he played it so well. And the same with Jaye Griffiths as well, who played Celia.
“For us as actors and as a company, we really didn’t want him to go, or Jaye. But at the same time, soaps are a moral compass, and you just cannot have somebody m.u.r.d.e.r.i.n.g somebody or human trafficking. And as much as you give them the human edge, like with the love story between Ray and Laurel, you just simply cannot let people get away with that.
“I think we have a moral kind of standard and a duty, really, to end stories like this correctly. Ray was really good and really interesting, and a full 360 degrees three dimensional character with a backstory that wasn’t simple.
Paddy Dingle actor Dominic Brunt has shared his thoughts on the demise of villain Ray Walters(Image: ITV)
“You were watching it going, you wouldn’t have done. You wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for the fact that this had happened.” Something Dominic is thrilled about though is the return of his co-star Andrew Scarborough, who plays Graham Foster.
He did admit though that he found it amusing how Graham explained how he faked his d.e.a.t.h in 2020. He told us: “How are you going to do that? Because I saw him d.e.a.d. He was blue. So it’s funny. When he says ‘we learned techniques to slow our breathing down’ I thought that was a really, really clever way around it.
“Just those sentences and then, move forward. But also we were delighted that he was coming back, because Andrew’s brilliant. Everyone’s delighted. He’s back with us where he belongs.”
Dominic also shared amid recent twists and turns, there’s plenty more shocks ahead. He said: “When I was talking to the writers, they keep going, ‘Oh, there’s some stuff coming up.’ And I don’t know whether I’m in it or not, but it’s great.
“They’re buzzing their heads off. I think the shape of it has slightly changed as well. We’ve got these self-contained stories that are maybe a month, two months, three months long, with less people involved. So you get everybody involved over the year, but there are less people involved in these tailor made stories, which they are absolutely over the moon about.”
