Emmerdale’s Bear Wolf, played by Joshua Richards, has been missing from the village for three months and has been revealed as a victim of modern slavery
Bear Wolf, who arrived in the Dales back in 2019 as Paddy Kirk’s long-lost father, has won over Emmerdale viewers with his heart of gold.
However, the beloved character, portrayed by Joshua Richards, has been absent from the village after he was last seen three months ago, driving away in his rental car.
Recent episodes have revealed that Bear isn’t safe in Ireland, contrary to what his son, Paddy Kirk, played by Dominic Brunt, initially thought. A worried Paddy is yet to find out that his dad is a victim of modern slavery.
On Monday (November 10), Emmerdale aired a special episode following the plight of missing Bear Wolf, revealing where he has been for the past 100 days.
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Over recent months, Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) and his adoptive mum Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) have been exploiting teenagers April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) and Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle), reports the Daily Star.
The pair have been manipulated into paying off an endless debt after losing a stash of drugs, with April also being pulled into the grim world of sexual exploitation.
Monday’s distressing episode begins to reveal the true extent of Ray and Celia’s cruelty, as the ITV soap addresses the significant issue of modern slavery.
Speaking about the forthcoming storyline, Joshua revealed his initial reaction to the modern slavery plot, explaining: “Well, I found it a bit disconcerting really. I found it a bit frightening and also what experience do I have to bring to the table.”
He continued: “So it was a bit discombobulating at first because I thought it could be interesting because of course Bear has been experiencing this kind of depression and confusion.
“So maybe it’s a great thing to find him so vulnerable, a big, strong man being vulnerable and being exploited.
“As an actor, you just think lovely, lovely, jubbly, jubbly and rub my hands together and then pull my sleeves up to get stuck in.”
How old is Emmerdale star Joshua Richards?
Whilst Bear has made the village his home, little is revealed about his history beyond an affair with Paddy’s mother during the 1960s.
The character is believed to have been born in 1945, which would make him 80 years old.
In reality, however, Joshua is understood to be approximately 65 years old, according to Emmerdale Insider.
Just 12 months before landing his Emmerdale role, Joshua’s mother, Jean, tragically died aged 80. As a devoted soap enthusiast, her passing meant she never witnessed her son’s television debut.
He shared with The Mirror: “My mum Jean was an ardent fan. We watched it when it was Emmerdale Farm, and she would have been over the moon that I was doing it.
“But we lost her last year. It’s really sad that she couldn’t be around to watch me in it.
“She didn’t know I got the part. I just thought, ‘If only my mum was here to see this’.”
What else has Joshua Richards starred in?
Whilst Emmerdale represented Joshua’s first foray into soap operas, the talented performer has built an extensive body of work, launching his career with the Royal Shakespeare Company before transitioning to multiple Hollywood projects.
Prior to his Emmerdale role, Joshua featured opposite Brad Pitt in the 2004 historical epic Troy and worked with Hugh Grant in Amazon Prime’s A Very English Scandal.
However, it’s his role in the much-loved 1990s drama Heartbeat that has generated significant conversation amongst fans. Joshua played DI Haggarty in the ITV series for several months throughout 1999.
Joshua’s credits also include numerous other television programmes and films, such as Downton Abbey, King Arthur: Excalibur Rising, The Adventures of Robin Hood, A Viking Saga: The Darkest Day, and Panic Button.
Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX
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