Exclusive: Emmerdale star Chris Coghill admits shock over Kev’s new storyline

Emmerdale‘s Kev Barton has won over fans with his quirky behaviour in recent months – but actor Chris Coghill feared that could have all changed when he learned about his latest storyline.

The ITV soap recently revealed that Kev was the mystery attacker who put Billy Fletcher in hospital – a plot point that has major repercussions next week as Dawn Fletcher still reckons that her fiancé, Joe Tate, was the culprit.

With a huge week of episodes planned, Dawn is making big decisions about her future based on a lie – but what will the consequences be?

We caught up with Chris as he took part in a big photoshoot to celebrate Emmerdale‘s nominations for the Inside Soap Awards 2026. The pictures feature in this week’s issue of the magazine, which is out now.

You can check out our video from the shoot at the top of the page, then read on for Chris’s full Digital Spy Q&A…

ITV

Hi, Chris! How does it feel to be up for Best Newcomer and Best Comic Performance at the Inside Soap Awards 2026?

“Being up for two awards is lovely, obviously. Being up for Best Newcomer is a bit of a weird one because I’ve been acting for 25 years – it’s like it’s taken me 25 years to become an overnight success! (Laughs.)

“But it’s just nice to be recognised – and with the Comic Performance too. Originally the character wasn’t supposed to be an out-and-out comedy performance. But as we started working and developing Kev, he became funnier. It’s nice to be recognised for that.”

Why should fans get behind Emmerdale for the Best Soap prize this year?

“I think people should vote for everything Emmerdale because it’s the best place to work! It’s the best cast, it’s the best crew, and everybody is lovely. So vote for Emmerdale… and nobody else! (Laughs.)“

What has the reaction to Kev’s return been like?

“The reaction to Kev arriving in the first place was quite overwhelming. Now people are really pleased to see him back, which is lovely. It’s one of those situations where you have to keep him as the same character, but he’s on a bit of a redemption story.

“He’s still got that edge – he’s a sensitive psychopath, maybe! The response has been amazing and it’s a testament to that, I think.”

ITV

Are you enjoying filming the Kev and Lewis storyline?

“Yeah, the thing about Kev is that he does really want to be a dad. I personally can connect with that, because that was my thing for a long time. I’ve got a daughter and she’s nearly 20 now.

“The thing with developing that relationship with Lewis is that it doesn’t feel like it’s been rushed. There’s a lot of things that are getting in the way of it, and they’re having to work their way back to having a relationship. And working with Bradley Riches [who plays Lewis] is amazing – if he was my son, I’d be delighted. He’s a lovely kid.”

It’s such a brilliant dynamic to watch…

“We are very, very different! We could not be more different, but there are things that we’re finding in the performances and the characters that actually do bring them together a bit, which is nice.”

How did you react when you found out that Kev would be Billy’s mystery attacker?

“I was really shocked! When Billy was attacked, I had no idea and then there was a scene and I said: ‘What, I did it?!’

“The whole explanation of how it happened was played off screen. Steve had gone to rob the depot, Kev followed him and he was there to stop him doing it. Billy got in the way and Kev only wanted to give him a little ‘love tap’ to get him out of the way, but it turned out badly!

“But that story didn’t play out on screen at all, so we’ve had to explain it later in scenes with Caleb and Ruby. So it was a shock to find out that it was Kev who’d done it.”

Did you worry about the fan reaction?

“It’s difficult because you wonder: ‘Are people going to hate Kev for that?’ So what we’ve had to try and do is explain that Kev didn’t want to hurt Billy. It’s a moral dilemma that he couldn’t really get out of.”

ITV

Would you like to see Steve come back?

“I would, because Jason Done [who plays Steve] is my mate! I’ve known him for 20-odd years and I’ve worked with him a few times. I love working with him, but Steve does get in the way of me and Lewis. But these are all obstacles that they’re trying to get over, so I’d love Steve to come back.”

Can we expect any more Kev karaoke scenes?

“God no! The first time I did it, I was like: ‘That’s done’. When I found out I was coming back, I was like: ‘Yeah, but I’m not gonna sing!’ And then Laura Shaw, the Emmerdale producer, was like: ‘Well actually, there is one little thing…’

“It was when Kev sang ‘Father and Son’ and I said ‘Cat Stevens?’ and she was like ‘No, the Boyzone version!’ So I personally would like to see the end of the singing forever because I’m not a singer. I can’t sing, as you can clearly tell. It’s why I’m an actor, because if I could sing, I would have been in a band in the ’90s!

“So I don’t really want to do it again, although Laura did say something about me singing at Christmas. I said ‘if you keep me till next Christmas, I’ll do it then!'”

Would you like more romance for Kev?

“People have asked: ‘Isn’t Kev gay?’ But when we first saw the flashback episodes with Robert, he specifically said to him, ‘I’m not gay’, but they have their relationship because of who Robert is.

“When Kev has come back now, it’s been explained that he’s pansexual – so it’s not about the gender, it’s about the person. The possibilities for romance are limitless.”

What else is coming up for Kev?

“There’s a lot of drama coming that there’s a lot of fallout from. There’s the big lie over who attacked Billy, and Kev is stuck between two sides. There’s a lot of backwards and forwards, and challenges coming up for a lot of people.”