It’s a huge development (Picture: ITV)
Recently Ryan Stocks (James Moore)’s life was turned upside down in Emmerdale when he learned that Oscar, (Harley Hamilton) the son that he and Gail (Rachael Gill-Davis) had given up for adoption 13 years ago, was seriously ill in hospital.
Sophie (Martha Cope), who adopted Oscar, got in contact with Gail because Oscar needs a bone marrow transplant and she hoped that Gail, as his biological mother, might be a match.
It became clear that Ryan had a lot of regrets about the circumstances around Oscar’s birth. he and Gail were very young when the baby was born, but he wondered whether they’d fought hard enough to keep the baby – and whether his own disability had been a factor in the decision.
In upcoming episodes Ryan is devastated to learn that he isn’t a match for Oscar, but then Gail gets the news that she is a match and can be a donor for the boy.
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Before the surgery, Ryan meets Oscar for the first time. He’s apprehensive and awkward, not knowing how to deal with the situation. Luckily he and his son soon find some common ground in talking about music.
James Moore told us that this takes huge pressure from Ryan’s shoulders.
‘I think it must be a bit of relief that he finally manages to break through that shell that mainly he created himself,’ he said.
‘All of a sudden he’s not thinking about the larger consequences of it when he realises he can actually just sit there and have a conversation and it doesn’t have to be a big deal. I think that really helps. Also it puts a face to Oscar and gives him a personality to Ryan. Throughout all his fears and all his anxieties about Oscar, he’s now getting to see the person Oscar really is.’
Ryan and Gail are able to spend more time with Oscar (Picture: ITV)
Of course there’s another person in this storyline who has mixed feelings about all this. Sophie is naturally conflicted about the bond she sees beginning to form between Oscar and Gail and Ryan. It’s something that Marlon cautions Ryan about later.
On the day of the surgery, Gail is nervous but hoped she can help Oscar to have a healthy life. Ryan, meanwhile, is trying to hold things together for his girlfriend’s sake, but he’s worried for both Gail and his son.
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‘I think he definitely feels the fear,’ James told us. ‘Maybe to a certain extent because of her anxieties if anything he would have to keep it together for Gail’s sake, but he’s definitely feeling it underneath.’
Will the operation be a success? And what will it mean for Ryan and Gail’s future relationship with Oscar?
Gail is given some news.