Next week, the Emmerdale vet struggles to put the past behind and finds comfort in the arms of another woman.
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Paddy Kirk and Mandy Dingle agreed to give their relationship another go last year, just as the beloved vet portrayed by Dominic Brunt was clawing his way out of a deep depression.
But while he was able to move on and remain in a loving relationship, the same cannot be said for his estranged wife, Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter).
After being duped by Yorkshire criminal Harry aka Damon Harris, who only grew close to her to kidnap her and get revenge on her half-brother Caleb Miligan, Chas romped with Dr Liam Cavanagh.
However, this budding romance was cut short by the Woolpack manager as she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer.
Chas broke the news to the rest of the Dingles in recent scenes of the ITV soap, urging members of her clan to get their breasts checked out.
Following this, she made the decision to go through a mastectomy in a bid to keep the cancer from coming back and potentially killing her, the way it almost did her own mother, Faith Dingle.
But as her health ordeal continues, Chas has perhaps no idea that her cancer scare has unearthed some buried feelings in Paddy and the pair let their connection lead them towards a potential reconciliation next week.
Coming up, when Chas only allows herself two weeks off on the Woolpack roster, her son Aaron (Danny Miller) worries that she’s not facing up to the reality of her operation.
After a long chat, Chas finally opens up to a supportive Paddy about her concerns surrounding her operation.
Paddy lovingly comforts Chas as she fears the worst.
Swept up in the familiarity of the situation, the pair begin to kiss before Paddy realises he’s made a huge mistake.
His tactless reaction leaves Chas unexpectedly hurt.
In later scenes, Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) is shell shocked when Paddy reveals he kissed Chas.
Paddy’s unnerved by Mandy’s eerily quiet reaction.
At the hospital, Chas puts on a brave face in front of Aaron as she’s taken into surgery but, once she is alone, her bravado fails as nerves take over.
Aaron and Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) are tense as they wait for news on Chas.
Although they’re unable to show it, both men are grateful for each other’s company, hinting that their brutal brawl and explosive rivalry are history.
Meanwhile, the magnitude of Chas’ operation finally dawns on her and Paddy’s heartbroken to catch emotional her in such a vulnerable state.
Could he decide to leave Mandy and bounce back into his marriage with Chas?
Regular viewers of the Yorkshire-based program will remember that Chas and Paddy split up in late 2022.
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At the time, the vet refused all kinds of options to save the relationship as he’d found out Chas had had an affair with the late Al Chapman.
To maker matters worse, she was planning on leaving the eponymous village and moving into a new house with Al and her daughter Eve, whom she shares with Paddy.
This pushed Paddy into a state of mental despair, as mentioned above, which led him straight back into Mandy Dingle’s arms as she vowed to support him.
But is the relationship doomed?
Emmerdale airs weeknights from 7.30pm on ITV.
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