Emmerdale star lets slip what's really wrong with Bear in sad new storyline

Emmerdale actor Joshua Richards has revealed more about Bear's upcoming storyline. Viewers have seen Bear struggling as of late, with many questioning what might be wrong.

In a new interview with The Mirror and other press, Joshua has seemingly hinted about what is wrong with Bear and why he's struggling so much as he opened up about what's to come for his character.

"There’s an element of confusion in Bear’s thinking. I think he’s lashing out because he feels vulnerable and a bit afraid,’ he said. ‘He’s a man who, in the past, has been incredibly physically strong and has earned his living from being fit and healthy. And he can fight. He still has that capability," he explained of where Bear's head is at at present.

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"But as you get older you question your viability to be the kind of person you were before, and therefore you become a vulnerable individual. There’s no status any more, and I think status for somebody who was an athlete and someone who had a great deal of respect for his prowess in the ring suddenly has nothing."

He added: "If you have no dignity you can start lashing out because you do feel vulnerable and you’re open to attack."

Whilst Joshua didn't specifically say what the new storyline was about, he did share: "I’ve done something on this subject which I’m not going to say, but I did a play about it with John Godber a few years ago and it was riveting – quite profound and upsetting and also full of alarming facts," as he hinted about what it was.

Joshua is now taking a brief break from filming but warned that when he returns, things will get very tense for Bear.

"I think it’s going to be an excellent storyline to take on because I haven’t seen anybody take it on before," he said of what's to come. Elsewhere in the interview, Joshua opened up about Bear's reasons for "shutting down".

"For me, the only thing that would make sense is that hitting a certain age and feeling surplus to requirements, maybe, because Bear no longer has the wrestling circuit. A lot of his old friends passed away... People have a tendency to shut down and keep themselves at home when they hit a certain age," he explained.

He added: "They're afraid to go out at night, because they're suddenly vulnerable old people... You shut yourself off either by staying indoors and therefore not being able to sleep at night and then watching countless streaming, television or movies."

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