Paddy Kirk
| Paddy Kirk | |||||||||||||
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| Emmerdale character | |||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Dominic Brunt | ||||||||||||
| Duration | 1997– | ||||||||||||
| First appearance | 20 February 1997 | ||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Mervyn Watson (1997) | ||||||||||||
| Spin-off appearances |
The Dingles in Venice (1999) Paddy and Marlon's Big Night In (2011) | ||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||
| Occupation |
Veterinary surgeon (1997–2012, 2013–) Veterinary receptionist (2012–13) | ||||||||||||
| Home | Germany | ||||||||||||
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Patrick Frederick "Paddy" Kirk is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Dominic Brunt. Paddy demonstrates the dedication of the soap's writers towards maintaining a comedic tone in plotlines. While he has appeared at the centre of some grave storylines, Paddy is often a manifestation of the faintly ridiculous. His bumbling ways and perpetual ill luck act as an amusing antithesis to the sometimes traumatic incidents which befall those around him.
Paddy is one of the longest-serving characters currently in the programme. He has been married three times, to Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) in 1999, Emily Dingle (Kate McGregor) in 2002 and Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) in 2012. He has also had several flings since arriving, notably with Viv Hope (Deena Payne) and having affair with Tess Harris (Nicola Stephenson).
Storylines
Paddy arrives in Emmerdale to work as a locum for Zoe Tate (Leah Bracknell) at the vet surgery, initially on a temporary basis. He is drawn to Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) and they are smitten from first sight, but their relationship had many ups and downs. Paddy's mother, Barbara (Judi Jones), did not approve of Mandy. Horrified, Barbara offers Mandy money to marry someone else, which she does and Mandy marries her cousin, Butch (Paul Loughran), leaving Paddy depressed. After a failed date with Bernice Blackstock (Samantha Giles) in an attempt to take his mind off Mandy, Paddy proposes marriage to Mandy and she accepts. They marry the following year but over the next two years, Mandy is frequently absent looking after her father, Caleb. She misses Paddy but begins an affair with her father's carer and their marriage breaks down.
A heartbroken Paddy becomes close to Emily Dingle (Kate McGregor), who, like Mandy, was previously married to Butch. They begin dating and get engaged and on the day they were due to attend his best mate Marlon (Mark Charnock) and Tricia Stokes' (Sheree Murphy) wedding, Tricia gets cold feet and Emily and Paddy get married instead. Their marriage seems happy and they foster teenager Debbie Jones (Charley Webb) but over time, the marriage loses its spark and while Emily tries to make things work, Paddy has an affair with Viv Windsor (Deena Payne). The affair is revealed when Viv jokes with Paddy over the phone that she has told Emily about their affair and Paddy does not realize it was a joke, rushes home and confesses. When the affair becomes public knowledge, Paddy is punched by Viv's estranged husband, Bob Hope (Antony Audenshaw) and Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell). Soon after, Emily leaves the village with Debbie's baby daughter, Sarah.
Paddy begins internet dating and goes to Portugal after Jo Stiles (Roxanne Pallett), plays a practical joke by pretending to be his Internet lover Fireblade, he goes to Portugal for a rendezvous. However, once there, he realizes he’d been tricked and returns with Toni Daggert (Kerry Stacey). A horrified Jo thinks Toni only wanted Paddy's money but is relieved when Paddy and Toni revealed they were paying her back. Paddy later develops feelings for Toni but she didn't feel the same way about him, so he moved on. Paddy's next relationship is with Del Dingle (Hayley Tamaddon) which upsets Toni, who realizes she is in love with Paddy after all. Toni tries to split them up but it fails but the relationship with Del ends after Del angrily confronts Toni in the Woolpack kitchen and demands that she stay away from Paddy. Toni refuses and is accidentally burned by hot fat. Horrified that Del could do something like that, he ends it and admits that he loves Toni but the relationship breaks down when Toni learns Paddy does not want to marry her.
Paddy's cousin Ross Kirk (Samuel Anderson) arrives in the village. One morning. Ross is hungover and while driving to work with Paddy, accidentally hits Genesis Walker (Sian Reese-Williams), knocking off her moped. Genesis seemes fine at first, and Ross, afraid of losing his job, convinces Paddy to say that he was the one behind the wheel. Genesis, or Gennie as she called herself, soon collapseds and is intensive care. Ross refuses to own up and Paddy confesses the truth to Ross' police colleague Shane Doyle (Paul McEwan) what had really happened. After Shane convinces Paddy he will be jailed for perverting the course of justice, a furious Paddy remains silent. After he learns about Ross' affair with Marlon's wife Donna (Verity Rushworth), Paddy throws Ross out.
Paddy begins a relationship with Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) but has to contend with her wayward teenage son, Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller). The problems are not helped when Carl King (Tom Lister), Chas's ex reveals in a heated discussion about Chas, and Carl revealed whilst Paddy had gone away one night he and Chas had slept together – whilst Paddy was still dating her. At first Paddy refuses to believe Carl, thinking that he was just stirring things between them, knowing Carl still holds a torch for her. Paddy then realises this is true and evicts Chas and Aaron but lets Aaron move back in and they build up a father-son relationship and Paddy helps Aaron come to terms with his homosexuality.
Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) returns to the village of Emmerdale. She and Marlon reignite a past relationship, until Rhona expressed an interest in Paddy and split up with Marlon, and began a relationship with Paddy. Rhona learns she is expecting Marlon's baby, while she is still with Paddy. Marlon, upset at first, tells Rhona he did not want to be the part of the baby's life but has a change of heart once he learns that the baby may suffer from Down's Syndrome. All three parties repair their friendship and Rhona gives birth to a baby boy, Leo in 2011. After a failed proposal, Rhona accepts. Paddy then lands a job in New Zealand and Marlon decides to go too but changes his mind. The Goskirks and Marlon battle over Leo's welfare and Marlon and Paddy have a fist fight which culminates in Paddy being charged with assault after hitting a police officer. Following the suspension of his veterinary license, Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick), arrives and immediately gets off on the wrong foot with Paddy. Vaness is also a qualified vet and she joins the surgery and later agrees to have a share in the surgery and when Paddy was able to return to his duties he, Rhona and Vanessa all had their names above the door.
Paddy and Rhona's marriage faces a major test after Rhona becomes addicted to the painkillers she is taking for a back injury. Paddy and Vanessa become worried as Rhona's mood swings are visible and matters get worse when Rhona begins buying pills from a dealer named Gary. When Paddy confronts Rhona about it, she lashes out at him physically.
Paddy became involved in Aaron Livesy's relationship with Robert Sugden, after he was told about the affair by Aaron in February 2015. Paddy and Chas Dingle tried to keep Aaron and Robert away from each other with little luck. In July 2015, Paddy worried that Aaron and Robert were continuing their affair and found his worries to be warranted when he caught them half dressed at the scrapyard. Paddy sent a note to Robert's wife Chrissie White telling her to 'reign her cheating husband in'. While helping out at the farm, Paddy fell into a grain pit and injured his leg. Robert then turned on the grain pit to scare Paddy after he discovered that Paddy sent the note to his wife. Paddy fell unconscious and was about to drown in the grain when Robert turned the machine off and went to help, only to be scared off by his brother Andy Sugden who was approaching. Paddy was saved and spent a night in hospital due to his injuries. Paddy suspected Robert of the grain machine incident and found his suspicions true when Robert threatened him and his family at the hospital. A while later, Paddy informed Aaron of Robert's attempt on his life, causing Aaron to plan a night at a lodge with Robert to get him to confess. Worried what Robert might do, Paddy went to the lodge only to find himself accidentally shot by Robert. Paddy then helped a distressed Robert stitch his wound and talked him down to allow both him and Aaron to leave. After Aaron retaliated by exposing his affair with Robert to Chrissie, Paddy argued with Aaron to leave Robert well alone, telling him that it'd be his fault if something happened to his family.
Following the helicopter crash, Paddy discovered wife Rhona and best friend Marlon shared a platonic kiss at Debbie Dingle's wedding. He then set up an online dating profile for Marlon to set him up with someone. Marlon invites Paddy to a night out and meets a woman named Tess. He offloads on her about the situation regarding Robert and Aaron and they end up having sex in the back of her car. Tess turns out to be Leo's teaching assistant, who is also married. They break things off, but resume things after a short while.
Rhona suggests that they should adopt a child, and after being initially reluctant about it, Paddy agrees. Amongst others, Aaron and Tess are selected to be references for the social worker. After Tess finishes her interview she texts Paddy on the second phone that he has for the purposes of the affair. When Rhona asks why he has a second phone, Paddy says that it's Aaron's, and as a result is forced to reveal the affair to him. Reeling from this revelation, Aaron tells the social worker that Paddy and Rhona are having marital issues. After Aaron points the blame at Tess, she is furious and reminds Paddy that she can take everything away from him in an instant.
In February 2016, Paddy as well as Adam, Moira, and the rest of the Dingles are informed by Cain, that Aaron was sexually abused as a child at the hands of his father, Gordon. Tess and Paddy's affair comes to an abrupt end when a drunken Kirin Kotecha runs her over and kills her. Tess dies in Paddy's arms. The affair is revealed to Rhona after Paddy goes to Tess' funeral alone but is spotted by Megan Macey. After a series of rows, which includes telling Rhona all about the affair between Aaron and Robert, nearly dying in the grain pit, getting shot by Robert and also revealing that Robert was Katie Sugden's killer, Rhona decides that the conversation never happened and that they should continue as normal.
Reception
Brunt was nominated in the category of "Best Actor" at the 2011 British Soap Awards.[1]
References
- ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (7 March 2011). "British Soap Awards 2011 voting opens". Digital Spy (Hachette Filipacchi UK). Retrieved 7 March 2011.
External links
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