Emmerdale - Christmas looks set to be a miserable time for Eric Pollard.

Eric insists on holing himself up in his house. He refuses to celebrate with any of his loved ones as he is still full of grief for his late wife Val.

However, Eric's plans for a lonely day are thwarted when his mischievous dog Cheryl makes her way out into the village and he is forced to follow her.

Once out in the fresh air, Eric is faced with his past, his present and his future in scenes reminiscent of Charles Dickens's classic 1843 novella.

Chris Chittell, who plays Eric, explained: "At first Eric thinks there is no Christmas for him. As soon as it's over and done with, the better - Eric thinks that it's a waste of time and a waste of energy. As long as he can keep himself in whiskey, he'll be a happy bunny! When Cheryl gets out into the village, that starts the ball rolling. There he is in his dressing gown in the middle of winter trying to find this wretched dog."

Discussing Emmerdale's take on Dickens, he said: "I had an idea that I'd read this synopsis before! It's beautifully done, I think. It's really, really clever. I think Eric has to move on now. People have shown such care and such emotion for his benefit, so now he's at the brink where he either has to go one way or another."

Chittell also said that he had to suffer for his art, growing an untidy beard and messy hair to help show Eric's deterioration. 

He said: "By the time we finished the storyline, Pollard had grown his hair and become very unkempt with a shaggy beard. Afterwards I was going to Ethiopia to do a run, so that was a good time for me to cut my hair off. That's the first thing I did the following morning. I was running with a mate, so I'd mentioned to him about having to grow this beard. He said he'd grow his too and we'd have a ceremony together. Like a fool, I went to Ethiopia with a shaggy beard and looking a right twit, and there was him clean-shaven because he'd changed his mind! It was vanity as far as he was concerned!"

Airs Christmas Day