Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw) has had a difficult 13 months since his beloved son Heath’s (Sebastian Dowling) death in Emmerdale, and things aren’t getting much easier.
He had the one-year anniversary to contend with at the end of 2024, and he had Angel’s (Rebecca Bakes) return as a huge slap in the face reminder of how his loss came about.
On a separate note, the last couple of weeks have been unkind in other ways, with the disappearance of his granddaughter April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) and the loss of his relationship with Wendy Posner (Susan Cookson), who turned out to be the town traitor after selling stories of her colleagues and friends to the press.
So, when the latest milestone since Heath’s death hits, it hits extra hard.
Manpreet (Rebecca Sarker) arrives as Bob receives some heart-wrenching news – Heath’s headstone is ready and will be erected the next day. Asked how he’s doing, Bob brave-faces it and says he’s fine when it’s obvious he’s not.
Bob is dreading the moment the headstone is put in place as it feels like another goodbye. The final sign that Heath really is dead and buried. Bob chooses instead to bury his head in the sand leading Cathy (Gabrielle Dowling) to lose her temper at his procrastination efforts.
The truth is, poor Bob just can’t face it. Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) catches him at a vulnerable moment and shares his own experience of grief, and his words somehow help bolster Bob.
He finds the courage to visit Heath’s grave.
When he finally arrives, things are easier than he expected. He and Cathy bond over the fact that Heath would have been pleased with their choice.
They pull out a bag of Heath’s favourite treats and settle in to spend a moment together in their grief. It’s a little light for Bob after a very dark year.
