Mild-mannered he may be, but Emmerdale GP Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) can pack a punch when he needs to. David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) and Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) are just two of those who’ve been on the receiving end of Liam’s anger over the years.
In Wednesday (July 17)’s episode, Liam once again showcased his fighting skills, but this time he was rushing to the defence of Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) who was being menaced by a group of lads led by horrible Josh (Osian Morgan).
Josh has quite the nerve being anywhere near the village given the massive mess he’s caused. We first saw him after he’d befriended Samson Dingle (Sam Hall) and it wasn’t long before he was making a nuisance of himself in the Hide, annoying Amy (Natalie Ann Jamieson) with ‘flirtatious’ comments.
When Matty (Ash Palmisciano) tried to shut him up and later threw him out because of his obnoxious behaviour he only got worse, using transphobic language against Matty and demanding money from the till.
When Matty refused, Josh pushed Samson forward to get the money and Samson was accidentally impaled on a knife Matty had been holding.
As a result of this, and Josh and Samson sticking together to lie about the incident, Matty has spent the last few weeks in prison, frightened for his life.
Samson, under mounting pressure from Matty’s family and from Lydia (Karen Blick), finally agreed to tell the truth, although he still kept Josh’s name out of it and made it sound like the whole thing had been his own idea.
So Josh is not the most popular figure in Emmerdale, and he had some nerve walking into the Woolpack in this episode. He was told that Samson had been to the police to revise his statement.
Josh told Sam (James Hooton) he was just trying to protect Samson, and Sam responded by calling him a ‘lying little scumbag.’ Josh has got more front than Blackpool and when Chas (Lucy Pargeter) told him to get out he refused, saying ‘You can serve me a pint, love.’ She grabbed him by the neck, pushed his face to the bar and yanked his arm behind his back, propelling him towards the door.
Later, Josh had rounded up a few mates as back-up and came back to confront Chas, who was on her own outside the pub. She told them to leave but she was clearly rattled as he pointed out she was outnumbered.
Then Liam turned up and told Josh he’s ‘rather outstayed his welcome.’ Josh wasn’t impressed by the newcomer and shoved him in the chest – and the next moment Liam had grabbed his arm and yanked it up behind his back.
‘There are three major bones in your arm,’ Liam said. ‘The ulna, the humerus and the radius. If I ever see you again, I will break all three.’
Thrilling – and educational – stuff indeed, and Josh had no response but to shuffle away.
Liam checked that Chas was unharmed. ‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘My hero!’ Then she asked him if he fancied a drink later.
This was handy, because earlier Manpreet (Rebecca Sarker) had been trying to encourage him to ask Chas out when she realised he still had feelings for her and was feeling lonely now that previous girlfriend Ella Forster (Paula Lane) has left.
While this could well be the start of a romance that almost – but never quite – got going previously, complications are soon going to appear as Ella makes her return to the village.
‘Her relationship with Liam will remain complicated,’ Emmerdale boss Sophie Roper said. ‘And we’ll continue to question whether she’ll ever get her happily ever after and can she ever really escape the past that’s led her to this point?’
