Emmerdale’s Bear Wolf has become the centre of growing concern in recent weeks, with fans left heartbroken — and baffled — by his erratic behaviour, emotional outbursts, and sudden disappearance. But now, actor Joshua Richards, who plays Bear, has stepped forward to set the record straight and hint at what’s really behind his character’s downward spiral.

Fans of the ITV soap have been piecing together clues surrounding Bear’s behaviour, with many convinced the beloved character may be suffering from early-onset dementia. His unpredictable actions, emotional confusion, and growing sense of isolation had all the hallmarks — or so it seemed. However, in a recent interview, Richards decisively shut down that theory.

“Luckily, there’s no dementia,” he confirmed, clarifying that while Bear’s behaviour may mimic symptoms of cognitive decline, the truth is far more emotional and existential. “He’s like somebody with dementia stumbling off into the countryside, not knowing who they are or where they’re going — but it’s not dementia. It’s something deeper.”

Richards described Bear as a man facing a full-blown identity crisis at a later stage in life. “To have a revelation at that age — he’s 78 — is a big thing,” the actor shared. “He’s asking, ‘Who am I? What’s my purpose in life?’ That confusion, that feeling of being out of place, of no longer belonging, that’s what’s tearing him apart.”

Bear’s emotional departure from the village — under the pretense of visiting a friend in Ireland — was a turning point. Fans watched as his plans crumbled and he left anyway, with no destination and no plan. Richards admitted Bear felt like a “ghost at the feast” in Tenants Cottage, especially after Mandy moved in with his son Paddy. While neither Paddy nor Mandy intended for Bear to feel excluded, he couldn’t shake the idea that he was in the way. That toxic mix of shame and disorientation drove him to leave.

“He’s too humiliated to go back,” Richards said. “It’s more than just pride. He’s wrestling with the fear that he’s become irrelevant — that he doesn’t matter anymore.”

Despite the darkness in Bear’s storyline, Richards is enthusiastic about what’s coming next. “I do love to work,” he said. “And I’m really looking forward to coming back. This new storyline is major — and I think fans will be surprised by how it unfolds.”

So what is next for Bear Wolf?

Though dementia is off the table, it’s clear Bear is on a painful journey of self-discovery. Whether he eventually returns to Emmerdale with renewed purpose — or ends up lost in the emotional wilderness — remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Emmerdale is about to dig deep into themes of ageing, identity, and what it means to belong. And Bear’s story could be one of the most powerful yet.