I’m Vinny’s long-lost dad

Paul gets warned off by Mandy when he arrives in Emmerdale seeking a reunion, says Reece Dinsdale

They haven’t seen each other for years, but Vinny’s dad turns up in Emmerdale this week hoping to build bridges with his estranged son. Vinny was just four when Paul walked out on him and his girlfriend Mandy and now, aged 18, he can’t even remember his father. But Paul will have his work cut out to make it up with Vinny when Mandy – who raised Vinny despite not being his biological mum – makes it clear she doesn’t want him around.

Reece Dinsdale, who plays Paul, says, ‘He’s tracked Mandy down and gone to look for them. Then, on the road into Emmerdale, who does Paul bump into? Mandy, of course.

‘His first line to her is, “I’ve come for my son, for Vinny,” so there’s no secrecy, it’s very upfront. He’s Vinny’s long-lost dad. But he and Mandy don’t get off on the best footing. She tells Paul to go away, because she doesn’t want to see him again, and lies that Vinny isn’t living in the village. It’s not the warmest welcome.’

But Paul won’t be put off – he spies on Mandy (Lisa Riley) and Vinny (Bradley Johnson) at Sam and Lydia’s wedding reception, before getting a job at the scrapyard alongside Vinny. Reece says, ‘As Paul’s been warned off by Mandy, he decides to take a softly-softly approach. He befriends Vinny while looking for an engine part and they get on famously.

‘It’s a couple of weeks before Vinny realises who Paul is. Paul probably should have been straight with him and it’ll be interesting to see how he reacts to being lied to. You’ll also eventually find out why he left.

‘Paul is genuine, honest and decent, and is hoping to make up for the lost years with his son with intentions of being a good dad,’ he adds. ‘He means

well and is full of admiration for the way that Mandy has brought Vinny up. He doesn’t have an agenda besides making amends for what he’s done – what you see is what you get.’

So will there be a romantic reunion with Mandy? ‘There’s a question,’ exclaims Reece, 60. ‘Whatever the reason he left, it wasn’t due to her so my hunch is he’s hoping Mandy will take him back. But the primary reason he’s returned is to meet Vinny.’

Reece is no stranger to soapland – viewers might recognise him

from Coronation Street, where he played kitchen fitter Joe Mcintyre – Tina’s father and Gail Platt’s husband, who accidentally drowned while he was faking his own death in the Lake District.

Now the Yorkshireman, who lives in Harrogate with his wife and their two children, says working on Emmerdale feels like coming home. ‘Who knows how long it will be for?’ he adds, ‘But it’s a fantastic opportunity for me.’

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