Bradley Riches joins Emmerdale

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https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emm...sterious-role/


Emmerdale has cast Heartstopper star Bradley Riches in a mysterious new role, with the actor saying he is ?beyond excited? to start.

The star ? who plays James McEwan in Netflix?s coming-of-age series and also appeared on the most recent season of Celebrity Big Brother ? will begin filming on the ITV soap this week, with his character due to arrive in the Dales in May. Further details on his character are currently being kept under wraps.

?I?m beyond excited to be joining Emmerdale!? Riches said of his new role. ?It?s a real bucket list moment for me, especially since it was my grandad?s favourite soap, I just know he?d be over the moon.

?Everyone has been so lovely and welcoming, and the village is even more amazing in real life. I absolutely love my character (though I can?t spill too much just yet!), and I?m just so grateful for this opportunity. I can?t wait for everyone to see what?s in store??

?We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Bradley to the Emmerdale family,? added executive producer Laura Shaw. ?Bradley brings a wealth of talent and his warmth, wit and charisma makes him perfect for this new Emmerdale role.

?We have some wonderful stories for him to play and we can't wait for the audience to see Bradley bring his new character bursting into life on screen,? she continued, adding that more details regarding his character would be released in the ?coming weeks?.

Whilst Riches will soon be seen in the Dales, one actor who seemingly won?t be returning to the ITV soap is Gemma Atkinson, with the star ? who played Carly Hope for two years until 2017 - recently sharing that the filming schedule wouldn?t suit her family life.

?To go back to a soap wouldn't really be realistic because the hours are so few and far between ? you're either in 12 hours a day or you're in two hours a day,? she explained. ?Your schedule can change at the drop of a hat.

?I loved my time on all the soaps ? it's where I am now because of them ? but I think, now that I've got the children, I just wouldn't be able to commit unfortunately,? added the star, who also previously played Lisa Hunter on Hollyoaks.

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Joining Emmerdale

[lizann]

Bradley Riches will be playing Ross Barton's younger autistic brother

[Perdita]

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emm...arton-brother/


It has been confirmed that Heartstopper star Bradley Riches will be playing Ross Barton's younger brother on Emmerdale.

It was announced last month that Riches, also known for his stint on Celebrity Big Brother, had joined the soap, but his role has only now been disclosed.

Speaking with Attitude, the actor revealed more about his Emmerdale character Lewis Barton, and how he was previously in talks for a different role on the ITV soap.

"I play Lewis Barton. He's studying at Leeds University and related to Ross [portrayed by Michael Parr]," he said.

Riches explained Lewis has known about having a brother for a while, with his storyline kicking off when he "finally builds up the courage to reach out to him, see if they get along and ask questions about his family".

Originally, Riches met with the Emmerdale producers to play the role of Dylan, April Windsor's friend, but had to pass due to a scheduling conflict.

"I came to Leeds for a meeting for a different character: Dylan, who is in April's storyline. But then the schedule didn't work, and I thought I'd missed the opportunity," he said.

"I felt like it was meant to be. The personality of the character fits me so much better," he said of Lewis.

Riches also shared the news of his character's identity on Instagram. Alongside a photo of him with Michael Parr, Riches wrote: "Hello brother? I guess good looks do run in the family."

Like Riches, his character is autistic. The star explained to Attitude that the Emmerdale writers were supportive and open to listening in order to get the language right and portray his storyline accurately.

"The writers were very open to [hearing] how I would say things. For example, in the autism community, we don't say, 'I have autism,'" he said. "I don't mind, but some disagree because it's not additional. I am autistic."

While autism representation is important, Riches said Lewis's storyline won't centre on him being autistic.

"He's just him. And [his autism] is not really a topic," he said. "He tells Ross, 'This is me. It's part of who I am,' then it doesn't get spoken about again."

[Perdita]

Another character gets introduced as a family member we have never heard of before....