Lewis Barton has fled Emmerdale after learning that Kev Townsend is his biological father, following a dramatic week that included a kidnapping, a hostage situation, and a heartfelt rendition of Boyzone's Father and Son. The young man, played by Bradley Riches, told Kev he was going to Cleethorpes to see his 'actual dad' and hoped Kev would be gone by the time he returned.
Kidnapping leads to shocking revelation
Kev returned to the village last week after being alerted by Liam Cavanagh that Lewis had been kidnapped. Lewis was taken hostage by a woman named Kylie, who wanted back a diamond necklace Kev had stolen from her. After persuasion from Ross Barton and Liam, Kev gave the necklace back, prioritizing his son over the jewellery. Ross then told Kev to leave and never return, blaming him for the kidnapping, but Kev ignored this and burst into Dale View, sang Father and Son, and revealed he is Lewis's biological father.
Lewis rejects Kev's advances
Lewis was unsurprisingly not keen on building a relationship with Kev, feeling that his adoptive parents have always been there for him and questioning why his biological father suddenly wanted involvement. In today's episode, Kev felt deflated but was encouraged by friends Claudette and Charles Anderson, who believed he could be a good father. He returned to Dale View to reiterate his desire for a relationship, but Lewis remained uninterested and announced his departure to Cleethorpes.
Future reconciliation confirmed
Despite Lewis's rejection, the ITV soap has confirmed that he will eventually give Kev a chance. Star Bradley Riches stated: 'It’s going to be a learning curve for both of them. Lewis battles in his head with his adoptive parents, they gave him so much love, they have been his parents. Now there’s a new father figure on the scene, Lewis will worry that he’s cheating on his parents and struggle to balance it out well. He’s got to learn a lot. Kev’s got to learn a lot. Also you find out a lot about Kev’s upbringing and why he has the potential to be a good dad. Because he doesn’t want to be the father that he had, which is quite nice. There are lots of ups and downs and a lot of learning to do. In the long run, Kev will definitely get there!'
Upcoming robbery and its impact
Emmerdale has also teased that the village cafe will be subjected to a robbery soon, with fingers quickly pointed at Kev. He denies any involvement, but the incident could affect his relationship with Lewis. The soap continues to explore the dynamics between the father and son, with more twists expected.
