Emmerdale fans were thrilled to learn that Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill) is set to return after his chaotic stint last year, and they are not the only ones. When I spoke with Bradley Riches, who plays Lewis Barton, this was the first topic on the agenda, and his enthusiasm was high.
Bradley Riches Excited for Kev's Return
'I was absolutely buzzing!' Bradley said of when he learned that Chris was reprising his role. 'With Chris and Kev, he is a very complex character with a lot of depth, which I think is really cool. To have those little scenes with Lewis and Kev, they are similar in some ways and different in others. It is really cool to build on that and see what happens when Kev comes back, because Lewis still does not know that Kev is his father.'
Viewers will remember Kev from his dramatic story arc last year, when he arrived in the village as Robert Sugden's (Ryan Hawley) prison husband. Amid his failed attempt to keep his relationship with Robert alive, Kev realized that Lewis was his biological son, having had a fling with Emma Barton. However, he was warned off revealing the truth by Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler), and eventually left the village without Lewis ever knowing who he really was.
What to Expect from Kev's Return
Fortunately, this story is set to be revisited upon Kev's return, which Bradley is really looking forward to. 'I think it is inevitable that the secrets will come to the surface,' he teased. 'I think the way they may find out is a bit random. A bit twisted and a bit scary for Lewis, as well. And as Kev always does, it is going to be quite comedic as well. It is really exciting to see all this, and to see how Kev and Lewis navigate it and their different navigation styles. Hopefully, one day, they might build a bond that they both enjoy.'
When Kev returns to the village, he has a new business venture in the works: a pop-up café, aptly named 'A Slice of Kev-en'. How will the villagers react to his return?
Bradley Riches on Autistic Representation
Away from Kev's return, Bradley spoke passionately about the representation characters like Lewis are able to provide and how 'it means so much' to be able to play him. 'I think representation is so key, and to play an autistic character with Lewis is incredible,' he enthused. 'I think what Emmerdale and the character of Lewis do so well is that you see the positives. Lewis is autistic, but he has got a job, he has built these relationships, he has got these friendships, and he is liked within the community. You see those aspects, but you also see the barriers and the negatives that autism sometimes comes with, like the burnout and sensory overload, and how Lewis juggles that. You see an all-rounded autistic representation, which I absolutely love.'
Lewis and Vinny's Relationship
Lewis is currently in a relationship with Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson), and navigating Lewis's autism is a big part of their story. 'With Lewis being autistic, I think it is cool to see a relationship navigate that aspect. I do not think I have ever seen that, and I think that is quite a cool thing to see,' Bradley told me. 'We know that every relationship is different, but it is how they can navigate different communication styles or things that Lewis cannot handle and maybe Vinny can. It is about making that relationship as healthy as possible while navigating those things, which can be quite difficult, but I think it will be cool to see on screen. And to educate people that not all relationships need to be the same, and that boundaries are healthy and having them is not a negative.'
'Seeing them both talk about it and both getting it, and Vinny getting excited when he gets Lewis, it is going to be really sweet.'
Like Lewis, Bradley is autistic and has written a book about his experiences called Autistically Me, which is set to be released in June. 'Autistically Me is basically a self-help book or guide,' Bradley explained. 'I see it as us FaceTiming each other and you have asked, “When did you start accepting being autistic?” It is using all my life experience. It is not an autobiography, but I do speak about things that I have experienced.'
