Emmerdale Fans were excited to learn that Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill) will be returning after his chaotic stint last year, and they’re not the only ones!
When I got on the phone for a conversation with Lewis Barton STAR Bradley Richesthis was the first item on the agenda and enthusiasm was high.
“I was absolutely buzzing!” Bradley said when he learned this Chris was reprising his role.
“With Chris and Kev, he’s 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’re similar in some ways and different in others. It’s really interesting to build on that and see what happens when Kev comes back, because Lewis still doesn’t know that Kev is his father.’
Viewers will remember Kevin from his dramatic storyline last year, when he arrived in the village as Robert Sugdenand (Ryan Hawley) the prison man.
In the middle his failed attempt to maintain his relationship with Robert alive, Kev realized that Lewis was his biological son after having a falling out with him Emma Barton.
However, he was warned not to reveal the truth by Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler), and eventually left the village without ever knowing who Lewis really was.
Fortunately, this story will be revisited upon Kev’s return, which Bradley is really looking forward to.
“I think it’s inevitable that secrets will surface,” he teased. “I think the way they might find out is a bit random. A bit twisted and a bit scary for Lewis too. And as Kev always does, it’s going to be quite comical too.
“It’s really exciting to see all of this, and to see how Kev and Lewis navigate it and their different styles of navigation. Hopefully, one day, they can build a relationship that they both enjoy.’
When Kev returns to the village, he has a new business venture in the works: A pop-up cafe, aptly named ‘A Slice of Kev’. How will the villagers react to his return?
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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 said.
“I think what Emmerdale and the character of Lewis do so well is you see the positives. Lewis is autistic, but he has a job, he’s built these relationships, he’s got these friendships and he’s well-liked within the community.
“You see those aspects, but you also see the obstacles and negatives that autism sometimes comes with, like burnout and sensory overload, and how Lewis juggles that. You see a comprehensive autistic representationwhich I absolutely love.’
Lewis is currently in a relationship with Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson), and navigating Lewis’ autism is a big part of their story.
“With Lewis being autistic, I think it’s great to see a relationship navigate that aspect. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before, and I think it’s a really beautiful thing to see,” Bradley told me.
“We know every relationship is different, but that’s how they can navigate different communication styles or things that Lewis can’t handle and maybe Vinny.
“It’s about making that relationship as healthy as possible while navigating those things, which can be quite difficult, but I think it’s going to be good to see it on screen. And to educate people that not all relationships have to be the same, and that boundaries are healthy and having them is not a negative.”
“To see them both talk about it and both get it, and Vinny getting excited when he gets Lewis, is going to be really sweet.”
Like Lewis, Bradley is autistic and has written a book about his experiences called Autistically Me, which will be released in June.
“Autistically Me is basically a self-help book/guide,” Bradley explained. “I see it as us FaceTiming each other and you’ve asked, ‘When did you start accepting that you were autistic?’ I’m using all my life experience. It’s not an autobiography, but I talk about things I’ve experienced.’
MORE: Kev’s return story is ‘confirmed’ in Emmerdale after he is accused of several crimes
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