Emmerdale spoilers: Bob Hope’s crushing grief on extremely difficult day after 𝔻eath

Emmerdale’s Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw) is a broken man following the death of his son Heath Hope (Sebastian Dowling) in a car accident at New Year – and things are not going to get better for him any time soon.

Losing his son would have been hard enough to bear, but in the weeks following the accident Bob blamed his daughter Cathy (Gabrielle Dowling) for her brother’s death. Cathy had taken Wendy (Susan Cookson)’s car to drive herself, Heath and Angelica King (Rebecca Bakes) to a party.

When Wendy and Bob caught up with them the car had crashed by the roadside and Heath was dead.

Despite Cathy insisting that Angelica had been driving when the accident happened, Cathy had been seen driving as they left the village and Bob refused to believe his daughter wasn’t to blame.

It’s another difficult day for the Hope clan

The discovery that Angelica had been the one driving meant that at least Bob could try to make amends with Cathy and they could begin to support each other as they grieved for Heath.

But coming up there’s a tragic reminder for Bob of what he’s lost. It’s Cathy’s birthday – which of course would also have been twin brother Heath’s birthday.

The twins were born in 2007 when their mum Viv (Deena Payne) went into labour in a shed on the moors. Cathy was born first, delivered by Bob, and Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) was on hand to deliver baby Heath – which the character referenced in a recent episode.

The twins were named after the characters in Wuthering Heights because of being born on the moors.

Viv was killed in an explosion two years later, leaving the twins to be brought up by Bob and Brenda Walker (Lesley Dunlop).

So on Heath and Cathy’s birthday Bob and Brenda are shattered by Heath not being around any more, but they’re determined to try to hold things together for Cathy’s sake, knowing how terrible she’ll be feeling to be without her twin on her birthday for the first time in her life.

Meanwhile there’s a little bit of comfort for Cathy as Angelica – who’s facing a custodial sentence for causing a death by dangerous driving – reaches out to her in friendship.

The two girls try to comfort each other as they both mourn for Heath and reflect on how a moment of madness has led to so much pain.