Emmerdale star Jay Kontzle has jokingly accused bosses of “doing him over” with Billy Fletcher’s new baby storyline. The groundsmen is expecting a baby with wife Dawn.
Viewers watched this week as Dawn discovered she was expecting, leaving Billy and the rest of their family thrilled. However, his job is now turning into a busman’s holiday for Jay.
In real life Jay and his wife Mimi welcomed the arrival of their third child in November. And Jay has joked that with art mirroring life, he feels that Emmerdale boss Jane Hudson has “done him over”.
“I felt like the show was doing me over, to be honest!” Jay joked to press. “I got the news and I was like: ‘Come on, Jane, you’re killing me here!’
“Billy is quite sound and he’s a nice guy. I’m obviously a nice guy too, but my kids do my head in and they stress me out!
“We’re just putting a cot together at the minute and it’s been a nightmare, it’s killing us. The kids are being naughty already.
“To find out: ‘So I’m going to go home, deal with my kids, and then I’m going to come in to work the next day and deal with three other kids myself and just do the same thing?’
“Mabel and Noah, who play Clemmie and Lucas, are very good and fun to work with. They do a great job, so we’re blessed in that area, so long as this new baby isn’t a pain. I don’t care if it’s just been born, this baby can’t be testing me! I’m only joking… or am I?” he then teased.
‘A great move for the characters’
Jay also opened up about how the changing dynamic of the family has left him excited. He said: “I’m really excited. Realistically, the dynamic of having a family in the show, it’s sustainability.
“The next step is for us to get a house. We’re in Home Farm and it’s like a hotel. I don’t even know where my bedroom is, I’ve never even seen it, I haven’t got a clue! In terms of dynamics and the story itself, it’s a great move for the characters.”
However, there is drama in store. Next week Billy and Dawn sit the kids down to tell them about the new baby. But for Clemmie in particular it’s tough news to take. Fearing she will be pushed out the family, Clemmie reacts badly.
Wanting to flee she pushes a dining stool and it hits pregnant Dawn in the stomach. Dawn’s rushed to hospital and Clemmie is guilt stricken.
New baby for Dawn – but how will Clemmie cope?
But while Dawn is given the all-clear in hospital, Clemmie doesn’t know this and, as a result, decides to run away.
However, Jay explained: “It’s the second time Clemmie has run away! Dawn and Billy are broken by it – it’s the self-guilt. They think it’s the way they’ve explained it and put it across.
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“They’ve taken it for granted that Clemmie would be okay. They thought they could paper over the cracks and celebrate the next day, assuming she’s slept on it. When it hits home that Clemmie has run away, they think it’s their fault that she’s gone and they need to get her back.
“In any situation like this in real life, you’re going to be all over the place. The anxiety is going to be through the roof – the repercussions, how will Clemmie respond when they get her back, or will she ever come back?”
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.
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