Bear, who has been missing for several months while his son Paddy Dingle (Dominic Brunt) assumed he was staying with a friend in Ireland, has actually been manipulated as a victim of modern slavery.
"And being a certain age as well, where maybe you do think that you're useless and redundant, if someone convinces you that no, you are worth something, that you do have some kind of currency. Currency being the operative word," he emphasised.
The actor has described Bear's ordeal as "one of the most horrifying things you can possibly think of".
"And if criminal gangs can take that essence out, that you don't have to pay for that labour, then that's where big profits are made, people are exploited and misery begins."
"All I can do is be a very old-fashioned actor and read the script because I don't hold with the method way of things," he said. "I didn't lock myself away in a tent or hide in the countryside and try to scrabble along.
Something that helped the star, who joined Emmerdale in 2019 as Paddy's long-lost father, was that he has already portrayed modern slavery in his career.
"That was 18 years ago and we did it in Hull and also in Liverpool University, so it's not a new subject for me; it's something I've been aware of for many years and even before I did that play.
Asked about the instalment in which Emmerdale will detail how Bear was targeted, Richards revealed: "Yes, it'll be a standalone episode, where we'll have some kind of explanation of what exactly happened to him after he got in his car and drove away.
The episode was filmed backwards, meaning that, after being assured that he would be coming back to the show, Richards had one specific assignment during his time off.
"You first see Bear when he's at the real bottom, looking really filthy and scraggly and unkempt. Then bit by bit we took it away."
"I thought it would be interesting, because of course Bear has been experiencing this depression and confusion. So maybe it's a great thing to find him so vulnerable – a big strong man being vulnerable and exploited."
View oEmbed on the source website"We all have our cars cleaned and say: 'Ooh, that's cheap'. But who are the people cleaning your car? I mean, that's just a very tiny part of it.
"I'm very proud to be part of what ITV is doing with these wonderful writers and the great research which has gone on. And maybe hopefully something… it will prompt something and there will be action."
"They'll be furious!"
Emmerdale is working with the Salvation Army on Bear's story, which has also seen teens April and Dylan groomed in recent weeks.
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Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.
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