viewers sided with Sam Dingle during Friday’s episode after Eric Pollard vowed to make an official police statement following Sam’s arrest.
Sam was held by police after he had a huge row with his friend of 30 years, Eric, after Sam came up with a plan to keep the Dingles warm and provided for amid the crisis, which left Eric unimpressed.
Clueless that his son Samson (Sam Hall) had blackmailed Noah Dingle (Jack Downham) into paying him £2,000 to keep his distance from Amelia Spencer (Daisy Campbell) and baby Esther, Sam desperately tried to get baby supplies.
Sam first went to Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) to ask him to give Dan Spencer (Liam Fox) a raise but Cain refused, prompting Sam to steam baby supplies from the shop.
A furious Eric caught Sam red handed and attempted to chase him away from the scene, with Eric tripping and injuring himself.
Empathy: Emmerdale viewers sided with Sam Dingle (pictured) during Friday’s episode after Eric Pollard vowed to make an official police statement following Sam’s arrest
Troubles: Sam was held by police after he had a row with his friend of 30 years, Eric (pictured), after Sam came up with a plan to keep the Dingles provided for amid the cost of living crisis
Sam was then arrested on suspicion of theft and assault and during Friday’s episode, a devastated Eric refused to back down when his son David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) asked him to reconsider.
A visibly upset Eric told Sam: ‘How could you do this to me?I thought we were friends. I treated you like a son at times. Gave you advise, helped you financially.’
Sam insisted he never meant for Eric to fall, to which Eric hit back: ‘You shoved me! What else did you expect to happen?’
When Sam apologised again, Eric asked him: ‘Sorry you got caught?’
Sam said: ‘I were desperate!I’d asked Cain to give dad a pay rise and he said no and it were just a spur of the moment thing.’
Eric insisted: ‘No, no, no. It was premeditated and that’s what hurts. You deliberately distracted me so you steal all those things.’
‘Please don’t make a statement,’ pled Sam.
Still very upset, Eric responded: ‘You don’t care how I feel.You just want a get out of jail free card.’
Tense: Sam was arrested on suspicion of theft and assault after his fight with Eric when he was caught stealing nappies but Eric’s son David (left) tried to get the two to smooth things over
When Eric’s son David begged his father to give Sam a chance, Eric told him: ‘No, David.He has not learnt a thing.
‘You don’t get it, do you? I don’t care about the cost. I care that you have betrayed the friendship. The 30 year old friendship.
‘And that is why I shall be making a full statement tomorrow.’
After David tried to reason with his father again, David spat back: ‘David, he shouldn’t even be here!He’s trying to influence a witness! And that will go on the charge sheet as well.’
A desperate Sam begged: ‘Please don’t say that! They’ll throw the book at me.’
Seething, Eric told him: ‘Yes, a stretch in prison might teach you not to steal.Especially from friends.’
Hurt: A furious Eric said: ‘You don’t get it, do you?I don’t care about the cost. I care that you have betrayed the friendship. The 30 year old friendship’
However, many viewers thought Eric was being too harsh and took to Twitter to express their feelings about the situation.
One person wrote: ‘Eric is being very dramatic all sam did was still nappies.’
Another fan posted: ‘What is Eric on about?If Sam is an old friend why is he so keen to put him in prison? He’s got a funny idea about what friendship is!’
While someone else shared: ‘If he is such a old friend wouldn’t Eric consider dropping the charges against Sam.’
Another viewer tweeted: ‘I feel sorry for Sam.He is struggling financially and “http://nastolnaja-igra.ru/ knocked over Eric by accident. Eric should cut Sam some slack.’
‘#Sam did what he did because he was desperate,’ wrote another soap fan, while someone else posted: ‘#Sam is a daft donkey but I don’t believe what he did to #Eric was deliberate.’
Speaking out: Many viewers thought Eric was being too harsh and took to Twitter to express their feelings about the situation
Nothing their friendship hadn’t been great at times, someone else wrote: ‘Eric treated Sam like a son at times…aah & other times he treated him like a thick slave that he exploited many many times.’
‘C’mon Eric you have insulted Sam every chance he got over past 30yrs so to be fair that’s not friendship,’ protested someone else.
While someone else shared: ‘Yeah I feel sorry for Eric he really does feel hurt by what Sam did considering their friendship.I felt bad for Eric with how nice he was being to Sam in the shop yesterday before he stole. I hope they can re-build their friendship.’
Emmerdale continues on ITV1 and ITVX on Monday at 7.30pm.
On air: Emmerdale continues on ITV1 and ITVX on Monday at 7.30pm
