Emmerdale’s Faith Dingle and Rishi Sharma seemed to be taking their friendship to the next level on last night’s episode.
But when Faith worked up the courage to tell him about her double mastectomy, Rishi’s reaction left viewers stunned.
They first met up in the cafe, where Faith gave him a drop of something stronger in his coffee. But then they moved on to the Woolpack where smooth Rishi splashed out on a bottle of bubbly for his love interest.
But Charity clocked their closeness and immediately warned Faith she needed to be honest with Rishi. She told her aunt she needed to warn him about her operation before she threw herself at him.
As the pair continued drinking and flirting, Faith invited him back to hers, but ever-the-gentleman Rishi told her he didn’t “want to put her under any pressure”. That seemed to make her feel even more special and she dragged him off.
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They were soon canoodling on the sofa, but before they got down to it for real, Faith realised Charity was right and she had to come clean about her mastectomy.
Bracing herself, she said: “I’ve had a health scare.”
She continued: “I’ve not let a man near me since. You see there are things about me which are different and I thought you should know in advance so there are no surprises.”
Rishi really didn’t get the hint that she was being serious as he cooed: “What sort of surprises?”
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“The thing is,” Faith continued. “I’ve had a double mastectomy.”
Rishi’s face fell and when Adam barged in at the wrong moment, Rishi quickly jumped up, made a lame excuse, and left.
Viewers were outraged at Rishi’s reaction and vented their fury on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/talesfromtania/status/852226280070279168
https://twitter.com/kayla_louise96/status/852227673388720131
Very cruel Rishi, very cruel. #emmerdale
— Natasha Louise (@tashaontv) April 12, 2017
Rishi!!! What a complete cad! Very disappointing. Poor Faith. #emmerdale
— Susan Alison (@bordercollies) April 12, 2017
Poor Faith 🙁 she just told Rishi she had a double mastectomy and he walked out on her! #Emmerdale
— Charlotte King (@Charlotte_K13) April 13, 2017
Poor Faith! And that’s really unlike Rishi to be so unkind. Usually he’s got so much compassion.
So why did this strike a nerve? One thing’s for sure, if we know Faith Dingle, she’ll be sure to find out.