Emmerdale actor Joshua Richards said he was moved to tears as he prepared for a storyline which sees his character become a victim of modern slavery.

Richards, who plays Bear in the ITV soap, said the storyline, which is currently being aired, was “not like playing a role in a play where you repeat the same role night after night”.

He went on: “This is an ongoing, developing role. And so every time you pick up the script, you think ‘it’s moved on again.
They have gone to another level, we’ve gone deeper’.

Modern slavery is alive and well, and it’s horrifying. I think it was very brave for them to bring this subject forward

Joshua Richards

“At times, I just sat home with my wife and just burst into tears and said ‘where do we go next?’.

“And as an actor, you don’t really have the opportunity that often to get that deep. So it’s been very important to me.”

The New Year’s Day episode will see Celia (played by Jaye Griffiths) take great delight in telling Ray (played by Joe Absolom) that Bear is dead.

Richards, who has appeared in Hollywood films including Troy and King Arthur: Excalibur Rising, said the soap’s writers and producers had done an “outstanding” job in telling the “harrowing” story.

He added: “Modern slavery is alive and well, and it’s horrifying. I think it was very brave for them to bring this subject forward and I’m intensely proud of what we, as a team, have done.

“It was a huge collaboration and this is a subject that most of the time is brushed under the carpet. But they brought it to the forefront of our minds.

“I’m very proud to be a part of it.”

The soap’s producers worked with the Salvation Army on the storyline, and Richards said he found it “very humbling” to talk to some survivors as part of his preparation.

He added: “I found it very illuminating. These people who have been exploited, who are not gullible people. They are people who are bright, intelligent and have compassion, were shown a little kindness by unscrupulous people, and then exploited for that.

“A lot of people say, well, I’d never be scammed, for instance, online.
But so many people are and they are intelligent and bright. And that is what we’ve got to be aware of in this modern day society. That there are people out there who can show you a bit of kindness, and then they will exploit you for it, and it does happen, and it’s happening now.”

Richards said he has received plenty of feedback from viewers on Ray and Celia’s characters, adding: “They can’t wait for them to get their comeuppance.”