Bob attempts to try and find a way forward (Picture: ITV)

Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw) is understandably devastated after the death of his son Heath (Sebastian Dowling) in Emmerdale.

Heath died in a car accident after he, twin sister Cathy Hope (Gabrielle Dowling) and friend Angelica King (Rebecca Bakes) stole Wendy Posner (Susan Cookson)’s car to go to a New Year’s Eve party.

It’s currently unclear who was driving the car at the time of the accident. Cathy was the one who stole it and drove it away from the village, but she’s now insisting that Angelica was driving when the accident happened.

All of this is bound to open a huge rift between the Hope and King families, and it harks back to another terrible loss for Bob.

In 2006 his eldest child, Dawn Hope (Julia Mallam), died in a gas explosion at the age of 22.

The King family were blamed for the death and Jimmy King (Nick Miles)’s father Tom King (Ken Farrington) offered them £300,000 in compensation, which Bob and his wife Viv (Deena Payne) refused.

On the day of Dawn’s funeral Viv discovered that she was pregnant with twins Heath and Cathy.

Tony Audenshaw told us that Dawn’s death is very much on Bob’s mind as he mourns the loss of Heath.

‘That is something that is actually referenced quite a few times as the storyline develops, the loss of Dawn,’ he reflected.

Heath died after a car crash (Picture: ITV)

‘It is reflected both in story and the way that he reacts. It’s his youngest, as well. They’re his babies, aren’t they?’

Bob’s partner, Wendy, has also lost a son, Lee (Kris Mochrie), who died in 2019, so she proves to be a great help to Bob, Tony told us.

Bob has already experienced losing a child (Picture: ITV)

‘They’ve both experienced things that other people wouldn’t have experienced and Wendy’s a great support in that, because she can say, “Remember this might happen, remember what it’s like, remember why you’re feeling like this at the moment.”’

Heath’s death causes Bob to reflect about what kind of parent he’s been, especially in the light of Cathy’s PMDD diagnosis.

‘I think he’s certainly going to blame himself,’ Tony said. ‘Certainly in the way he’s parented he’s going to question his relationship with his children. Has he got on better with Heath than he has with Cathy over the last few years? Is it payback time now for that?

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‘Because Heath hasn’t got PMDD I suppose, for one, has been an easier ride as a parent, because he’s had less trouble. He’s just been a bit of a dream, really, just got on with things. His eyes have been towards Cathy a lot because of the trouble she’s had because of her condition.’

Tony also said that Bob is initially too angry and hurt by his son’s death to be able to forgive Cathy for the part she played in it.

‘She’s been driving the car and her brother’s dead,’ he explained. ‘The relationship that they’ve had, he’s tried to understand, but when you’re grieving you’re angry. Certainly it’s going to really, really test an already fractured relationship.’

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