Over the years, several of our favourite Emmerdale characters have battled with gruelling illnesses, with everything from vascular dementia and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, through to terminal cancer and schizophrenia.
But the latest dales resident to sadly suffer a life-changing illness, is fan favourite Eric Pollard, who received a devastating diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in heartbreaking scenes which aired on Wednesday, 1 November.
As regular viewers will know, Eric has been behaving a little oddly in recent weeks, with the truth finally emerging in emotional scenes as he tearfully confided in Mandy Dingle about what he had been going through, before sharing the news about his health with her.
Opening up about just how important the storyline is for viewers, show producer Laura Shaw commented: “When Eric Pollard is diagnosed with Parkinson's, he's naturally very scared and unsure of what the condition means for his future. “The unique position of a show like Emmerdale means we can tell this story really authentically over a long period of time and we can really shine a light on what a diagnosis like this means and follow Pollard on his journey of learning to live with it.
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