Former Emmerdale actor Richard Shelton is among the thousands of people affected by the cladding crisis

As Calendar continues its special investigation into the cladding crisis we speak to former Emmerdale actor Richard Shelton who is just one of thousands of people affected across the region.

They are effectively trapped in flats with fire safety defects and facing a huge emotional and financial impact on their lives. 

The Government is saying it will fund cladding repairs to buildings over 18 metres tall and Richard is among 24 other apartment owners in the Timble Beck building in Leeds nervously waiting to find out if they're among the flats falling short of the fund.

They're been told that it will be £2.4m to safely clad the building.

Richard bought his flat at Timble Beck when he was cast as the evil Dr Adam Forsythe in Emmerdale .

He remembers being 'blissfully happy' with his purchase back in 2006.

Now living in the United States for half of the year and letting the property out, he's been out of work during the pandemic. Paying £6,000 pounds for safety patrols was a struggle. Richard describes himself as an 'unwitting victim in a horrid set of circumstances'.