Emmerdale legend fumes at soap bosses over handling of 'ridiculous' Parkinson's storyline

He's an Emmerdale icon, having starred as Eric Pollard in the ITV soap for 39 years. But for actor Chris Chittell, his character's battle with Parkinson's hasn't been handled the way he hoped. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk at this week's Corriedale premiere, Chris admitted he was "annoyed and let down" by story bosses when it was first announced Pollard was going to be diagnosed with the condition.

Chris admitted: "We've sort of put it on the back burner for a little while. I have spoken to the story producer about the fact that we owe it to the Parkinson's community to up the situation, up the credibility. The more we have that's going to express what is needed for people with Parkinson's, the better it is, because something has to be done.

"It's frightening how so many people are affected by it - not just the people who have Parkinson's, but the carers as well. The wives, the husbands..."

Explaining how he felt when he was given the news about Eric's diagnosis, Chris said: "I'll be very honest - when the producer asked me how I felt about adopting this storyline, I said, 'Well, as long as we do it properly, then let's do it'.

"That's exciting, because apart from anything else it's an extension of why us actors are here. So my first two episodes, I took it that everything was going to be proper.

"But then they had Pollard going around telling everybody that he had Parkinson's! You don't do that! That's ridiculous! I was so annoyed when I found out, I literally turned the tables and was like, 'Right, this is what happens'.

"So I do my own research now, so I don't have to rely on them. I felt so silly, and quite let down on that side."

The star was more positive about what fans can expect from the upcoming collision of Emmerdale and Coronation Street, telling us: "Apparently it is extreme. It is something that has not been, of this fortitude, in some time.

"But also I think there are some delightful surprises, and some delightful performances, so I'm looking forward to those."