Emmerdale's Vinny Dingle actor Bradley Johnson has defended the ITV soap over its ongoing abuse storyline.
Gambling addict Paul Ashdale has been violently abusing his son Vinny for months, also manipulating him to stay silent.
The harrowing storyline leads to dramatic scenes this week, with lives on the line on the day of Paul's wedding to Mandy Dingle.
Paul gives Vinny another violent beating that could be "one too many" as one character will lose their life.
Also at risk is Liv Flaherty who is attacked by Paul when she confronts him over his lies, while Jimmy King is also in danger when he crashes his truck in explosive scenes.
Some viewers are hoping it's Paul that dies, with many admitting they are "bored" or "fed up" with the storyline.
Vinny's harrowing abuse ordeal has left many horrified, but some fans have said it has "gone on too long".
Speaking on Loose Women on Tuesday, actor Bradley explained the importance of the plot and why it had to run for a while.
He said: "A lot of the response online has been that the story is too long, but an abuse storyline is [long].
"We've seen two sides of it. We've seen the physical abuse that obviously his father has given him, but we're now starting to see the more mental side.
"He's a small, broken man really. In the middle of this he wants his mum to be happy, he wants to look out for his girlfriend Liv, and he just doesn't know what to do for the best."
Paul's abuse towards Vinny began when his son realised he was still gambling, and had lost them a lot of money.
He managed to convince Vinny to stay silent for weeks, guilt tripping him, before turning violent when this stopped working.
Now, Vinny is too scared of his dad to speak out - but will he be able to before it's too late?
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
