An Emmerdale star has confirmed his exit from the show and has revealed what his next role will be.
The popular ITV soap has seen a few stars leave over the past year with Bradley Riches being the next actor to be taking time off.
However, the 24-year-old has reassured fans that his character is only taking a break from Emmerdale rather than leaving the show forever.
Bradley Riches taking break from Emmerdale
Bradley joined the cast in May 2025 to play Lewis Barton, the long-lost son of Emma Barton, played by Gillian Kearney.
It was later revealed on the show that Kev Townsend, played by Chris Coghill, was Lewis’s biological father.
The pair worked through many challenges on the soap to build a strong relationship that ended with Kev adopting his son’s surname.
Lewis also built a friendship with Nicola King, played by Nicola Wheeler.
The actor is also known for his role on Netflix’s show Heartstopper where he played James McEwan in 2023.
He went on to feature on the 2024 series of Celebrity Big Brother alongside Love Island’s Ekin-Su and Coronation Street’s Colson Smith.
Bradley has confirmed that he will be taking a break from the show to star as Peter Pan in a panto at the Sunderland Empire.
The actor shared a story on Instagram confirming his new role.
He said: “That’s a wrap at Emmerdale for now!
“A little time off before heading to pantoland.
“So excited for what’s ahead for Lewis in 2027.
“Feeling very lucky and grateful, as always.
“See you on your screens soon!”
The theatre has announced that Bradley would be joining the cast back in March on social media by saying: “Bradley Riches from Netflix’s Heartstopper, Emmerdale and Big Brother is flying into Sunderland this Christmas as our thrill-seeking hero, Peter Pan!”
Fans took to the comments to share their thoughts on the announcement with one person saying: “This is so exciting.”
Another person said: “Bradley is an absolute joy.”
A third person wrote: “Absolutely brilliant casting.”
Are you excited to see how Lewis’s story develops on Emmerdale next year? Let us know in the comments.
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