Emmerdale teen Dylan Penders finally breaks down next week as the pressure of the Ray Walters cover-up becomes too much to cope with. Are his days in the village numbered after the misery of recent months?

Dylan is one of the few villagers who knows about Bear Wolf’s guilt in the Ray murder case – and he’s loyally supported Paddy Dingle in a desperate bid to keep the truth buried. But as next week’s episodes progress, it’s clear that he’s out of his depth.

First up, the youngster crumbles by telling April Windsor about how he witnessed the moment Ray was killed. April’s stunned to realise that Bear was the culprit and Dylan has been lying for weeks to protect him.

Dylan is then honest with Paddy by revealing that he’s brought April in on their dark secret. Paddy can’t believe it and frets about who April might tell next…

“April is now implicated,” explains Dominic Brunt, who plays Paddy. “If it all comes out, she can be done for withholding information from the police. And it’s not just the fact it was supposed to be a secret between the three of them – will April want to tell Marlon and Rhona? It’s yet more unravelling.”

Later in the week, Paddy hopes the tense situation will improve for everyone as he sends a struggling Bear off for a counselling session.

However, just as Paddy is becoming more hopeful over Bear, his focus shifts to Dylan when the tormented teen becomes visibly distressed.

Dylan expresses deep self-loathing to Paddy, believing that he’s a “curse” after all of the sinister activity that has surrounded him over the past year.

As Dylan declares that he must leave the village to spare everyone any further drama, can Paddy change his mind?

“There are a few heart-to-hearts where Dylan says that he can’t handle this anymore,” adds Dominic. “Paddy has to be there to say that, no matter which way it happens, this will all pass. They’re alive, they’re alright and life is better than it was.

“Paddy is very good at that and he’s going to look after Dylan no matter what.”

But will Dylan give Paddy that chance to stay by his side?