It’s any wonder that Emmerdale’s Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) hasn’t ended up with blood pressure issues with all the stress he endures trying to protect his dad.

Paddy spent weeks trying to stop Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) from confessing to the murder of Ray Walters (Joe Absolom), but since he eventually failed at that, he’s been trying to stop his dad from making things worse.

Even that’s been a feat too far for the vet, having desperately tried to prevent Bear from seeing Ray’s dead body fearing it would break him, only for Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy) to overrule him and take Bear herself.

While Bear did get some closure, it had the effect Paddy feared and broke their relationship further to boot.

Then when Bear failed to score himself some sleeping pills from Manpreet Sharma (Rebecca Sarker), he took himself off to hospital to get some from there, but in the process broke his bail conditions.

This left Paddy with a brand-new headache as he learned that this meant fragile Bear would now be placed on remand.

It’s been one nightmare after another, and Paddy had to think fast on that last one to stop Bear from being sent to jail. He had him placed in a mental health unit, killing two birds with one stone of keeping Bear out of prison while finally getting him the help he needs.

But it’s the very definition of kicking the can down the road, as Bear can’t remain in the unit forever. His day of reckoning arrives as Paddy learns he is set to be discharged.

He’s due to have an assessment and, all being well from the facility’s perspective, will be allowed home.