In an Emmerdale first, no female actors will appear in one episode. For the first time in its fifty-year history, the ITV soap will be airing an episode featuring an ensemble cast of only male actors.
In the coming weeks Marlon Dingle, played by Mark Charnock, will set up a late-night lock-in at the Woolpack, with only one thing on the agenda - men talking to each other. This pub gathering will follow Marlon’s horrifying discovery that his friend Paddy had contemplated taking his own life.
In upcoming scenes, Emmerdale viewers will see Paddy's mental health continue to decline. In recent episodes, the village's beloved vet, played by Dominic Brunt, fled to village following a reunion with ex-wife Mandy Dignle amid his continued struggle with wife Chas Dingle's infidelity.
READ MORE: ITV Emmerdale fans point out blunder as Chas and Mandy try to bring Paddy home
And next month, viewers will see Paddy consider taking his own life. Feeling alone and struggling to find his place in people’s lives, Paddy will begin having suicidal thoughts and as he contends with these, the audience will see the true extent of Paddy’s deep depression.
Later, with Paddy's mental health continuing to be fragile, and after bringing him safely home, Marlon wants to do anything he can to help his friend. On Friday, March 10, the front doors of the Woolpack will be locked and the men of the village will stay behind for a late night lock-in with the hope of using the night as a forum to talk.
Speaking about the upcoming episode, Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw explained: "When we embarked on this heartbreaking storyline about Paddy's depression and attempted suicide we knew we wanted to shine a light on how important it is to just talk.
"Inspired by listening to real stories from the charity Andy's Man Club, we decided to have some of the men in our village come together for a very special episode which purely focuses on them and seeing them talking about whatever they are feeling or thinking. If watching some of our most loved characters opening up to each other encourages just one person to reach out and start talking, we will be extremely thankful."
Marlon actor Mark added: "Despite Paddy being home and safe back in the heart of the village Marlon is finding it hard to get through to him and is worried Paddy will never find the courage to open up and talk. When Chas and Jimmy both unwittingly give Marlon this idea it’s not long before Marlon is acting on their information and setting up this lock-in. He just hopes it will help.”
For this ongoing storyline Emmerdale have worked with Samaritans and Andy’s Man Club. Neil Waine from Andy’s Man Club commented: "Today in the UK 3 in 4 suicides are men. If this episode of Emmerdale can shed a light on how important it is for men to talk we will be delighted as it may just reach that one man who sees that #ItsOkayToTalk and makes that brave, life changing step to go to an AndysManClub."
He added: "Kudos to Emmerdale for approaching this subject so head on and with such accuracy which we all felt was important."
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