Emmerdale has delivered a big shock for Paddy after Bear made a dramatic escape – but viewers aren’t exactly celebrating the twist.
Last week, the soap revealed that Bear was actually alive and was responsible for killing Ray. Since then, Paddy and Dylan have been secretly keeping him locked up in a cottage, all while insisting they had no idea where he was.
It’s been a tense and uncomfortable storyline – and after tonight’s episode (January 26), fans have one major issue with how it’s all playing out.
What happened between Paddy and Bear tonight in Emmerdale?
Paddy continued to spin the lie that Bear was still missing, even as the walls started to close in. During a conversation with DS Walsh, he was given a flicker of hope when she revealed the police were keen to speak to Celia in connection with Ray’s murder.
Of course, what no one realises is that Celia is already dead.
Later, Paddy returned to the cottage, where Dylan had been trying – and failing – to get Bear on board with their version of events. After a few moments alone with his dad, Paddy could see that Bear was still deeply unsettled.
As the episode went on, Paddy began questioning himself, clearly troubled by the similarities between Ray’s actions and his own decision to keep Bear locked away. Bear begged them to let him tell someone the truth, but Paddy snapped, insisting that was the one thing he absolutely couldn’t do.
Following a heated phone argument with Mandy, Paddy headed back once more to check on Bear. This time, however, the cottage room was empty – and the window was wide open. Bear had escaped.
Emmerdale viewers have one big issue with the storyline
While many fans are relieved that Bear wasn’t actually dead, there’s a growing sense of frustration over everything. Viewers feel the cover-up was unnecessary and that the show is now dragging out a plot that didn’t need to be this complicated.
On Reddit, fans were quick to share their complaints. One wrote: “If the police were told, the self-defence case for Bear would be incredibly strong. First of all, Paddy and Dylan were both injured and everyone’s DNA would be on the hammer. It was also in Paddy’s house, which Ray was not invited into. It wouldn’t need to be proven that Ray killed Celia, but it would help.
“The mental health grounds would also be very strong. Given Bear’s cognitive issues caused by the depression and the modern slavery stuff, it would fly easily with the court of law.”
Another agreed: “This is why I stopped watching a while back. It’s going to be this big thing, which it didn’t need to be. It’s just infuriating. Why did Paddy listen to Dylan? He should have reassured him that no court would convict Bear of murder given the circumstances.”
A third added: “Dylan was an idiot. No court would convict Bear. He would end up maybe in a mental health facility. And he would get good care. Instead, Emmerdale have kept it going by having Paddy lock him up in another room.”
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