Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) is still struggling to come to terms with his Parkinson’s diagnosis on Emmerdale at the moment. Manpreet (Rebecca Sarker) has been trying to convince him to go to a support group but he hasn’t been able to bring himself to attend.

In Monday (December 11)’s episode, he fears that his symptoms are about to get worse much sooner than he’d hoped and in a clip from Tuesday (December 12)’s episode, poor Eric is feeling very down in the dumps in the aftermath of this shock.

As Brenda (Lesley Dunlop) attempts to get them both in the festive mood with Santa hats in the cafe, Eric laments that ‘everything’ could be over for him. Brenda tells him not to start catastrophising and suggests maybe the tremor had nothing to do with the Parkinson’s diagnosis.

Pollard isn’t easily placated though and insists that has to be the explanation.

‘It might be small but it’s what it signifies,’ he points out. ‘The beginning of what’s to come.’

Eric has been struggling with his diagnosis (Picture: ITV)

Brenda insists that the symptoms Pollard is feeling could be a long way off yet. ‘Let’s not borrow trouble,’ she says, wisely. 

Then she has some news that cheers him up: Leyla (Roxy Shahidi) has invited Pollard and Brenda to join her and Jacob (Joe-Warren Plant) for Christmas Day. It’s finally something to put a smile on his face.

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Of course Leyla’s Christmas plans might go out of the window once she finds out about Jacob and Victoria (Isabel Hodgins)’s affair. And Pollard isn’t likely to be feeling the festive love for his grandson when he realises that he was a major reason for David (Matthew Wolfenden) and Theo being absent from the village this Christmas – and perhaps permanently.

But in the meantime there’s a sweet moment for Pollard and Brenda in this clip when Sam (James Hooton) and Samson (Sam Hall) arrive with a big bag of mistletoe. As Samson is telling his dad that he’s planning to get a Christmas job to help the family out now that Lydia (Karen Blick) is away, Eric and Brenda are having a cheeky kiss under a complimentary sprig of mistletoe. 

It’s a happy moment for Eric who seems to have cheered up – for now.

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Emotions run high.