Emmerdale begins Faith Dingle's final storyline with poignant scenes

 She shares a secret with Moira.

Emmerdale has approached the topic of assisted suicide in Faith Dingle's cancer storyline.

Faith has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and learned recently that she doesn't have long left. This week has seen the physical impact of the disease starting to take more of a toll on her.

Friday's episode saw secrets unearthed when Moira took Faith out for a walk in the woods. Faith slipped up and indicated she was considering ending her life rather than wait for cancer to take her.

A powerful scene unfolded as the two walked through the forest, with Moira trying to convince Faith not to go through with an assisted death without telling her children.

"The more I talk to you, the more I realise this is how I want to play it," Faith told a stunned Moira. "I'm not going to rush into anything. Having said that, time is not exactly on my side."

Moira was being asked to keep Faith's secret but vowed that she wouldn't personally assist. Faith explained she'd do it herself, or not at all.

However, Moira objected when she realised Faith wanted to keep the plan secret from Cain and Chas until after she died — meaning Moira would be left to reckon with lying to the others.

Faith asked Moira to be there with her in her final moments, but when Moira broke down, Faith begged her not to tell Cain.

"I'm sorry but I don't think that's a promise I can make. Not this time," Moira admitted.

The Emmerdale team have been working on this storyline with Dignity in Dying, an organisation campaigning for laws to change to allow for assisted death in cases of terminal illness.

The show's researchers, producers and actors have met with Dignity in Dying in order to accurately reflect the realities faced by someone in a position like Faith's.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV and streams on the ITV Hub.