AN EMMERDALE star has confirmed he was axed by soap bosses as he broke down live on air.
Actor Bhasker Patel, 67, was sensationally dropped from the long-running ITV show after 12 years.
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Bhasker Patel broke down as he appeared on ITV’s Lorraine following his dramatic exitCredit: ITV
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The star revealed producers forced his hand in leaving the role of Rishi SharmaCredit: ITV
Playing the role of Rishi Sharma, viewers watched his final scenes air on Thursday night.
Appearing on ITV’s Lorraine today following his dramatic exit, the dad-of-three revealed Emmerdale bosses forced his hand in leaving.
Speaking to stand-in host Christine Lampard, he explained: “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.
“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’.”
As Christine, 44, read out tributes to his character from devastated fans, Bhasker started to get emotional.
He wiped away tears as he heard the outpouring of love from viewers for him.
The star joined the soap as Rishi, the head of the then new Sharma family, in 2011.
Rishi died alone after missing his son Jai’s wedding.
Viewers know Rishi was disinvited from the wedding because he refused to tell Jai who his biological father was.
In last night’s episode he finally revealed the truth – that his brother is Jai’s biological father and Rishi took him on to spare the conservative family the shame of an unwed child.
Jai was horrified to hear the secret that meant he had his true parentage kept from him his entire life – but eventually he agreed to Rishi coming to the wedding even though he’d stormed off.
Emmerdale continues on ITV1 and ITVX.
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As Christine, 44, read out tributes to his character from devastated fans, Bhasker started to well upCredit: ITV
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Source: newstars.edu.vn