TV Star Cries as He Reveals Producers Forced His Exit

Emmerdale star Bhasker Patel held back tears as he addressed his exit from the long-running ITV soap. After officially bidding farewell to his character Rishi Sharma on Thursday night’s episodes after 12 years in the village, Patel addressed heartbroken fans during an appearance on Lorraine, the actor revealing that his Emmerdale exit was not up to him, but rather suggested by the show’s producers.

“When the producer rang me and said: ‘I need to talk to you and we’re killing you off because we want a big story and it’s going to be a big surprise.’ Because my 12 years at ITV, they let me do a lot of other work, so I felt a part of ITV, a part of Rishi, but at the same time… I was working in London as well,” Patel, who appeared to be holding back tears throughout his appearance alongside co-star Chris Bisson, who plays Jai Sharma, said. “So when the producer said, ‘We’re going to kill you off,’ I was like: ‘Okay, that part of my life with this guy is over and I’m going to move on.’”

During the Thursday episode of Emmerdale, Patel’s character tragically died. The episode found Jai Sharma and Laurel Thomas celebrating their wedding with family and friends. Notably missing, however, was Patel’s Rishi Sharma, who had a falling out with his son after lying about who his father really was. According to the Mirror, during the episode, Jai promised to talk to his father soon and tell him how much he meant to him, but it was soon discovered that Rishi was dead, the episode showing his lifeless body lying at the bottom of the stairs.

Rishi’s death was a heartbreaking moment for fans, many of whom flocked to social media to react. During his appearance on Lorraine, guest host Christine Lampard read some of those fan messages, which left Patel wiping away tears.

Following Thursday’s episode, Patel has shared several behind-the-scenes pictures to mark his end on the show. Over the weekend, the actor shared a photo of himself lying on a stretcher on the set of the soap and giving the camera two thumbs up, writing in the hashtag, “goodbye.” He also posted a photo of himself in the back of an ambulance, sharing his thanks “friend & to all the wonderful crew [Emmerdale] ITV]… Blissful spending 12 joyful years being always playfully filming for you.”