Emmerdale airs heartbreaking scenes for Jacob Gallagher next week – as he starts to lose hope over his medical career. Struggling under the intense pressure of Dr Todd’s mentorship programme, Jacob begins to doubt whether he can carry on.

His love for the job and his patients pushes him to keep going. But despite his best efforts, he receives feedback from the senior consultant and is left reeling at her notes.

Dr Todd’s evaluation of Jacob’s skills as a doctor is absolutely brutal – following a series of tense exchanges between them at the hospital recently. With feedback like that, will he ever have the confidence to complete his training as a doctor?

Dr Todd brought Jacob on board for her programme in suspicious circumstances earlier this month, having just heard him bad-mouthing her at The Woolpack.

The formidable medic put on a show of forgiveness in front of Jacob’s family and friends, making out that she only wanted the best for him. She then recruited him to be her new protégé at the hospital, but was she always using this as an opportunity to target him further?

Emmerdale bosses recently announced the show’s plans to explore workplace bullying in Jacob’s story with Dr Todd.

“The storyline will delve into Jacob’s struggle to manage his work-life balance under the immense pressure of his overbearing boss,” a statement released by the show explained. “The stakes are raised further when Dr Todd installs herself in the village, blurring the lines between Jacob’s professional and private life.”

Caroline Harker, who recently reprised the role of Dr Todd, added: “I’m delighted to be back at Emmerdale for a longer stint playing Dr Todd. She’s a complex character and from what I’ve been told so far, quite a tricky one for Jacob to navigate.

“Workplace bullying is commonplace, and it will be interesting to see it brought to our screens in a serial drama such as Emmerdale.”