Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh recalls ‘harrowing’ day on-screen father was killed off

Emmerdale star Amy Walsh has said the day she watched her on-screen father killed off on the soap was a “harrowing” experience.

Frank Clayton, played by Michael Praed, was axed from the ITV show earlier this week in a surprise twist.

The reformed convict died after saving his daughter Tracy Metcalfe, played by Walsh, from a factory fire.

Walsh, 32, said seeing Praed’s stunt double lying on the ground in the wake of the fire was “harrowing” and “100% the most challenged” she had ever been as an actress.

She said: “I was there that day (they filmed the factory fire), so we watched the rehearsal and watched it from afar and on the monitor and you saw it come above the building and could feel the heat and the impact that it had on everyone.

“Then, of course, seeing the stunt double for Michael literally makes me want to cry, we were so sad to see him go.

“It’s weird because we saw him lying dead on the ground which is quite a harrowing thing to witness even though it’s fake.

“It was an amazing day, boiling hot and really intense and full on for me but I loved it and everyone was so supportive of me with so much screaming and crying and reacting to what happened and the others were just standing.”

Walsh said her character would be racked by guilt in the coming months.

Metcalfe will blame herself for her father’s death because she became trapped inside the burning building after planning to meet Billy Fletcher inside for a “quickie” sexual liaison.

“It’s 100% the most challenged I’ve ever been,” Walsh said.

“I’ve done a lot of crying before in plays and obviously in Emmerdale you’ve seen Tracey cry a lot.

“This is another extreme. She’s absolutely broken in the aftermath of this and she’s completely in turmoil and driven to prove that Frank has nothing to do with why the fire started.

“So it’s a massive storyline for her and the fallout of it all and clearing his name.”

Emmerdale continues on ITV.