Eric Pollard is just recovering from the vicious attack by Josh Crowther and even offers a hand of friendship to the troubled boy. But Josh picks up a gun, reveals Emmerdale’s Chris Chittell
Eric Pollard is coming out of the dark days – and daze – that followed the terrifying attack he suffered in son David’s shop. He has even reached a point where he’s willing to build bridges with Josh Crowther, the schoolboy who attacked him.
“He is still shaken, though,” says Chris Chittell. “He checks the windows and doors time and time again and it is only sheer fatigue that sends him off to sleep at night. He doesn’t trust anybody now.”
And Josh seems determined to burn those bridges, when he takes a shotgun belonging to Pollard and uses it.
“This boy is out to destroy. He has got a weapon and lives are at risk.”
How does Pollard approach Josh? “This boy has got problems at home. Pollard doesn’t like helping people generally, but does reach out and tries to talk to him. He clearly doesn’t get through, though, as Josh [Conner Chapman] breaks into Pollard’s property and steals a shotgun.”
What happens with the gun? “Well, it is fired and the police are called. Jacob [David’s stepson] and Josh are both in the frame. It is a double-barrelled shotgun and he’s got cartridges, so there is a chance that he could do some serious harm. Jacob is in cuckoo land. He can’t see that Josh is just out for what he can get. He sees something in Josh, which other people don’t, which is delightful of him, but stupid at the same time.”
What should Pollard do? “He clearly needs to see somebody about the levels of anxiety he is experiencing. He's embarrassed by it, though.”
Faith has tried to help… Could there be romance there? “I think they’d make a good match. Eric will always love Valerie, of course, but he has just about got back his equilibrium following her death.”
Emmerdale, ITV
