Emmerdale fans furious when Eric forces Sam to do unpaid work

Emmerdale viewers were furious with Eric Pollard after he tried to take advantage of Sam Dingle during Monday’s episode.

Sam (James Hooton) was arrested on suspicion of robbery and assault last week after robbing David Metcalfe’s (Matthew Wolfenden) of Eric’s (Chris Chittell) son’s store amid the cost of living crisis before the The couple fell out and, during Friday’s episode, a devastated Eric refused to back down from giving an official statement to the police in a bid to see Sam pay for his actions.

Last week, David was seen begging his dad to reconsider, with both he and viewers hoping that Sam would get a second chance.

And while Eric was determined not to change his mind on Friday, he decided he wouldn’t go to the police with a statement this week as long as Sam agreed to do a long list of unpaid jobs for Eric.

Stunned, viewers took to Twitter to question Eric’s version of the pardon, commenting on his double standards, as he has a history of being a seasoned con artist and fraudulent businessman.

One fan of the soap wrote: ‘Eric doesn’t have the forgiveness trick, does he? Forcing Sam to run unpaid errands when he could earn money for his bankrupt family.

After Eric’s son David reminded his father of his past, commenting that he hasn’t always treated his own friends well, another viewer tweeted: ‘Well said David. Eric was a big con man. He has done much worse than Sam has ever done.

Another viewer noted: ‘Hallelujah! Someone who criticizes Pollard for his hypocrisy about his own long criminal past.

While someone else shared: ‘She seems to have whitewashed it in recent years. As much a thief as any of the Dingles.

“Eric you scammed a lot of so called friends out of their money and antiques,” another viewer commented.

While another wary audience member posted: ‘Why do I have a suspicion that Sam will be blackmailed by Eric out of jail?’

“Eric has conveniently forgotten about his own past,” someone else pointed out.

While another enraged viewer shared: “Pollard there, trying to look holier than you!”

Emmerdale viewers sided with Sam during Friday’s episode after Eric promised to make an official statement to the police following Sam’s arrest.

Sam was held by the police after getting into a big fight with his friend of 30 years, Eric, after Sam came up with a plan to keep the Dingles warm and supplied amid the cost of living crisis, which which did not impress Eric.

Unaware 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 supplies for you drink.

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 sell baby supplies at the store.

A furious Eric caught Sam red-handed and attempted to chase him away from the scene, with Eric tripping and injuring himself.

Sam was then arrested on suspicion of robbery and assault, and during Friday’s episode, a devastated Eric refused to back down when his son David asked him to reconsider.

Eric, visibly upset, said to Sam, ‘How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends. Sometimes I treated you like a son. I advised you, I helped you financially.

Sam insisted that he never intended for Eric to fall, to which Eric replied, ‘You pushed me! What else did you expect to happen?

When Sam apologized again, Eric asked, ‘Are you sorry you got caught?’

Sam said, ‘I was desperate! I asked Cain to give Dad a raise and he said no and that it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.

Eric insisted: ‘No, no, no. He was premeditated and that’s what hurts. You deliberately distracted me to steal all those things.

“Please don’t make a statement,” Sam pleaded.

Still very upset, Eric replied, ‘You don’t care how I feel. He just wants a get out of jail free card.

When Eric’s son David begged his father to give Sam a chance, Eric told him, ‘No, David. He hasn’t learned anything.

‘You don’t get it, do you? I don’t care about the cost. I care that you have betrayed the friendship. The friendship of 30 years.

And that is why I will make a full statement tomorrow.

After David tried to reason with his father again, David replied, ‘David, I shouldn’t even be here! He is trying to influence a witness! And that will also go on the charge sheet.

A desperate Sam pleaded, ‘Please don’t say that! They will throw the book at me.

Furious, Eric told him: ‘Yes, a prison term could teach you not to steal. Especially from friends.

However, many viewers thought that Eric was being too harsh and took to Twitter to express their feelings on the situation.

One person wrote: ‘Eric is being very dramatic, all Sam did was diapers.’

Another fan posted: ‘What is Eric talking about? If Sam is an old friend, why is he so interested in putting him in jail? He has a funny idea about what friendship is!

While someone else shared: “If he’s an old friend, Eric wouldn’t consider dropping the charges against Sam.”

Another viewer tweeted: ‘Sorry for Sam. He has financial problems and ran over Eric by accident. Eric should give Sam some slack.

‘#Sam did what he did because he was desperate,’ another soap fan wrote, while someone else posted: ‘#Sam is a dumb ass but I don’t think what he did to #Eric was deliberate.’

Nothing, their friendship hadn’t been great at times, someone else wrote: ‘Eric treated Sam like a son at times… aah and other times he treated him like a thick slave who blew up many, many times.

“Come on Eric, you’ve insulted Sam every time he’s over 30, so to be fair, that’s not friendship,” someone else protested.

While someone else shared: ‘Yeah I feel sorry for Eric, he really feels hurt by what Sam did considering their friendship. I felt bad for Eric for how nice he was to Sam at the store yesterday before he shoplifted. I hope they can rebuild their friendship.

Emmerdale continues on ITV1 and ITVX Tuesday at 7:00pm