Actor Joshua Richards opens up about his experience of playing the strong and formidable Bear Wolf in Emmerdale’s harrowing modern slavery story, as well as the personal impact it has had on himself and his family.
From the moment he downed his first pint in the Woolpack, Bear Wolf has been an absolute joy on our screens. The gruff, boastful ex-wrestler bursting with masculine bravado clashed delightfully with his long-lost son, Emmerdale’s amiable but socially awkward vet Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt).
However, viewers were shocked to see a side to this fan favourite they’d never imagined when earlier this year, it was revealed that Bear was living as a forced labourer, trapped on a local farm at the mercy of people traffickers Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) and Ray Walters (Joe Absolom).
In this ground-breaking issue story, Emmerdale worked closely with the Salvation Army to illustrate how modern slavery truly can happen to anybody. Even someone as seemingly strong and confident as Bear can have their vulnerabilities exploited and their sense of self-worth ground down until they’re trapped in a dangerous situation. Joshua Richards reveals how working with the salvation army and speaking with survivors of modern slavery shaped his perspective on the story.
‘I found it very illuminating and very humbling. These people who have been exploited are not gullible people. They are people who are bright, intelligent, and have compassion. They were shown a little kindness by unscrupulous people, and then exploited for that. And I found it very upsetting.
‘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. It does happen, and it’s happening now…’
This is how Ray was able to groom Bear. After an explosive row with Paddy, Bear left Emmerdale seemingly to stay with his friend… when in reality, he was too proud to tell his son he was sleeping in his car.
Later in the year, viewers were horrified to discover that Bear had become a forced labourer on Celia’s farm. Manipulated and coerced, Bear truly believed that Ray had his best interests at heart by giving him shelter and a sense of belonging when nobody else would. Joshua shares some insight into the depression and feelings of worthlessness that brought his character to this point.
‘Bear feels redundant and for somebody who feels they are no longer pertinent or needed they find that they can withdraw, because they feel redundant and obsolete, much to the dismay of the family.
‘It becomes very much of an attack upon the ego, of the individual that they are disappearing and do not think that they are worthy of love or care or attention, and that’s a very sad thing, and that’s where people end up being lonely because they can isolate themselves. They don’t feel that they’re loved.‘
Joshua was able to bring a personal understanding to this role, drawing on his own experience with his father. He explains how his own family history shaped how he brought realism and emotion to Bear’s story, as well as the impact it had on his sister.
‘This is something which I haven’t discussed in any depth before, because I’ve been loath to do it. But after talking to my sister in great depth, who’s been watching this storyline, it put her in mind of my late father, who, in his later years, actually did suffer a similar kind of depression, God bless him.
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‘And as a big strong man, as he was all his life, to see him reduced to somebody who felt redundant, who felt useless, who no longer had a purpose in life, I could fully understand it, and my sister found it very upsetting, watching these scenes.
‘From her from her viewpoint, to talk to me about it, nailed it home to me, but, yes, I admit I have seen this first hand, and I do know what can actually happen to somebody who, for all of their life, was a leader, and an intensely physically strong man, to be reduced to somebody who could be just shoved from pillar to post quite easily if unscrupulous people had got hold of him. Luckily, he was in the arms of his beloved family. But this is something which is very close to me.
Bear’s nightmare is soon set to come to an end – though whether it will be a happy one remains to be seen.
With Emmerdale residents such as Marlon (Mark Charnock) and Moira (Natalie J Robb) fighting back against their shadowy criminal empire, Celia and Ray are already planning to flee the village and start their operation from scratch elsewhere. But the Soap Gods demand justice. Surely this twisted mum and son duo get what’s coming to them? Joshua Richards certainly hopes so.
‘I think the viewers can’t wait from the feedback I’ve been getting from people in the streets and from family and friends. They can’t wait for them to get their comeuppance.
‘And of course, I suppose we as arbiters of what’s right and wrong on TV, ITV can feel justified in saying, “yes, we can end this now, because the viewing public are fed up with these people and the terrible acts they are committing”.
‘But unfortunately, in society, you can’t do that, because they’re all pervading and they’re always there, hovering in the darkness.
‘I thoroughly enjoyed working with Joe Absalom and with Jaye Griffiths who are both great actors and I do miss them now, as they’ve gone. But for the storyline, I think everybody in the village has nothing but benefits from their demise.’
