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Emmerdale star Chris Coghill opens up about Kev's bond with son Lewis - "It's a big deal"

Kev Townsend first appeared in Emmerdale as Robert Sugden's husband, but it was later revealed that he was actually the biological father of Lewis Barton

[Kev came back to the village announcing he was Lewiss real dad]

Kev came back to the village announcing he was Lewiss real dad

When Kev Townsend first appeared in Emmerdale, he was just the husband of Robert Sugden and there to cause chaos, however, as with many things in the Dales, more secrets began to unravel.

Last year, Kev was revealed to be the dad of Lewis Barton (Bradley Riches) after a one-night stand with his biological mum Emma years ago. Kev knew he had a son but had no idea who or where he was, and once he realised things began to spiral.

At the end of his first stint on the show, Kev left the village, deciding not to tell Lewis the truth.

[Chris says he loves working with Bradley Riches]

Chris says he loves working with Bradley Riches

In June this year, Kev came back to the village announcing he was Lewiss real dad via a performance of Father and Son (The Boyzone version). The pair's relationship hasnt exactly been plain sailing with Lewiss brother Ross (Mike Parr) often getting in the way, but that hasnt stopped Kev from trying.

Chris Coghill, who plays Kev, says: He is who he is, but he does want to make things right with Lewis. He does love Lewis, he does want to be a dad.

Chris admits that Kevs upbringing and life of crime mean that hes finding it hard to be a father figure to Lewis.

His entire personality is based around his experiences of growing up and how hes lived his life, so its a big f***** deal for him to change his entire existence, but it is happening through love with Lewis.

He grew up doing what his dad wanted and it was essentially a life of crime, it was a twisted way of surviving, but he has seen a different way of doing things and that is genuinely what he wants to do.

Chris says he loves working with Bradley Riches, who plays Lewis, and that their off-screen bond is making it easier to portray on-screen: In real time bonding with Bradley Riches, he is so sweet it kind of makes it easier because I am sort of like on a daily basis getting to love him more.

Kev also has an unlikely bond with Claudette, an elderly Emmerdale resident who is the mother of the Vicar. She takes Kevin under her wing and even seems to prefer him to her own son.

Kev obviously had a pretty s***** childhood. It was mainly on his dad but his mum wasnt around much anyway, and so Claudette is like his sort of mum Chris jokes: And Im her favourite!

He says the favouritism began organically: Weve started giving each other cuddles, started doing it in scenes. It just started to grow to her giving me more sausages

Will Ash, who plays Caleb Milligan, praises their brilliant dynamic and says having Kev live with Claudette was a stroke of genius.

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