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Emmerdale airs troubling kidnap cliffhanger in early ITVX release
Warning: Contains spoilers for Friday's episode of Emmerdale, which airs at 8pm on ITV1 or can be streamed now on ITVX.
ITV
- Michael Adams
Published: Friday, 19 June 2026 at 7:30 am
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A nightmarish situation has unfolded in Emmerdale - paving the way for Kev Townsend's (Chris Coghill) return.
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It was confirmed in April that the fan-favourite character would be staging a comeback, just months after his departure. After his brief five-month stint on the show, the character was last seen narrowly escaping the clutches of serial killer John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) after he had become entangled in John's plot to kill Kev's estranged husband Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley).
Kev was also revealed to be the biological father of Lewis Barton, played by Bradley Riches, a fact he kept secret and was still a secret at the time of his exit.
However, as the soap's latest spoilers have confirmed, Kev is back in the Dales - and his new story has begun in today's episode.
After being together for some months, Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson) sprung a wonderful surprise on his boyfriend Lewis. He'd planned a trip to Madeira, but a problem soon arose.
Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson) surprised Lewis Barton (Bradley Riches) with a holiday. ITV
Lewis explained that, due to his anxiety, the spontaneity of the situation left him doubting whether he'd be able to attend. He felt dreadful, but ultimately the lack of preparation meant that he just couldn't go.
He insisted that Vinny still go away without him, but couldn't help but feel incredibly guilt-ridden by his words.
Later in the instalment, Lewis had a heart-to-heart with brother Ross (Michael Parr) about his worries, and after some encouragement, decided to go on holiday after all. His plan was to surprise Vinny at the airport, but the gesture didn't go smoothly.
While waiting for his taxi on Main Street, a van hurtled towards him. He shouted out at the driver, but got more than he bargained for when a number of masked men jumped out and bundled him into the vehicle.
Lewis was kidnapped. ITV
Will Lewis be ok, and will Kev be able to secure his safe return?
Last month, speaking to Radio Times at the BAFTA Television Awards 2026, Riches said he was "very excited" about Chris's return, revealing that the scripts are "hilarious".
Riches said, "I was very excited, obviously, for Chris to come back, who plays my dad. He's a great character, very complex, but very, very great. So I was really excited about that and to just build the dynamic."
Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill) returns next week. ITV
He continued: "Because I don't have much family. I've got, like, chosen family. The only family I have in the village is Ross at the moment, so it's nice to build on families and those connections."
Riches noted: "The scripts are hilarious. They're quite serious, but hilarious at the same time; like he just brings something comedic to the show. So yeah, it's really exciting."
Read more:
- 5 Emmerdale spoilers for next week: Kev Townsend returns, a new Sugden arrives, and Charity Dingle goes missing
- Emmerdale confirms major village arrival as new Sugden joins cast and brings "unexpected storylines"
- Emmerdale exit revealed for long-running character after over 20 years in popular role
- Emmerdale star teases "complex year" ahead for Charity Dingle after nightmare labour in early ITVX release
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.
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Authors
Michael AdamsSoaps Editor
Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
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