Emmerdale has never shied away from tough topics, but its latest storyline is perhaps its most disturbing to date.

I was invited to see filming for a special episode airing tonight (Monday Nov 10) delving into the reality of modern-day slavery.

Just eight miles from Leeds city centre, at the purpose-built Emmerdale village, I’m standing in a grotty farmhouse attic, witnessing the

horrifying truth of what happened to Bear – played by Joshua Richards – since he supposedly left the community four months ago. But

 

 

Paddy discovers Bear never made it to Ireland and is now missing.

At the end of Friday’s episode viewers caught a glimpse of a dirty and dishevelled Bear closer to home than Paddy could ever have imagined.

READ MORE: Human trafficking survivor forced to run drugs farm facing deportation
In a chilling final scene, fans saw villainous newcomer Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) drag a distraught young woman up to the attic of his boss Celia Daniels’ farmhouse, Holdgate Farm – previously used as the Sharma family home. But it is now the setting for a slavery ring organised by Ray and masterminded by Celia. (Jaye Griffiths).

 

 

As I enter the attic, I’m introduced to Joe. “Welcome!” he says, gesturing to the squalid space. It is filled with TV crew, led by director Tim O’Mara, as well as Josh, who is Ray’s newly revealed victim. Soon the camera starts rolling… Ray is in Josh’s face, chastising and jabbing his finger at him, while he is quietly howling in pain, nursing a bloody injury to his arm caused while working on Celia’s farm. I’m stunned, watching this appalling new level of abuse from Ray and wonder how the actors are coping filming such heavy scenes.

 

 

Afterwards I speak to Josh, 66, who says: “It is harrowing. Everyone’s worked so hard to make this story believable, because it is happening in real life. I’m proud of Emmerdale for taking this subject on – it’s very brave.” Josh appeared in the 2007 play Sold, about human trafficking, which he says opened his eyes to the crime’s prevalence. “Modern slavery is even bigger than slavery before abolition over 200 years ago,” he says. “It’s become a huge business – the exploitation of people’s labour. One of the most valuable things anybody’s got to offer is their labour. If you can eradicate that cost, criminal gangs can make a fortune.”

According to Home Office data, at the end of 2024 there were 19,125 potential victims of modern slavery—the highest number of referrals since records began in 2009. Of these, 23% were British nationals like Bear. In Monday’s episode, Bear is joined by other slave labourers living and working for Celia. They all live in the attic, with Anya (Alia Al-Shabibi) – the Romanian girl we saw on Friday’s episode – as well as Mick (Leon Harrop), who has Down’s Syndrome.