Emmerdale star Danny Miller took to social media to praise Chris Coghill for his role as Kev Townsend, after viewers gushed over his character's transformation. Actor Chris reprised the role of the charismatic Kev Townsend in the ITV soap last month, and Kev's new business venture has already stirred up trouble for the locals.
Kev's Return and New Persona
The acclaimed actor first joined the cast last year as Robert Sugden's prison husband. It was clear he'd stop at nothing to keep Robert to himself, but Robert didn't feel the same and was instead ready to move on with Aaron Dingle. Kev was initially viewed as "unpredictable and intimidating," but quickly became a fan favorite. Robert had married Kev in prison, believing he was dying—a lie Kev told to save their relationship. A shock twist later revealed that Kev was also the biological father of Lewis Barton, played by Bradley Riches.
Kev recently returned after Ross Barton hunted him down, finding him selling his famous lemon drizzle cake from a van by the roadside. Ross pleaded with Kev to help get Lewis back, who had been kidnapped by Kev's ex-partner, Kylie, in an act of revenge. Kev eventually agreed, and despite warnings from Ross, he decided to tell Lewis the truth. Breaking into his own rendition of Boyzone's "Father and Son," Kev revealed he was Lewis's father, leaving a shocked Lewis and Vinny at the sudden revelation.
Rebrand and Fan Reactions
Since then, Kev has been working hard to build a relationship with Lewis, hoping to show up as a father and turn his life around. In recent episodes, Kev has also been helping Mackenzie Boyd after the latter opened up about Charity's affair. During Monday night's installment (July 6), Kev found Mack on a swingset and, with his bag of lemons, joined him to offer advice.
Danny Miller, who plays Aaron Dingle, took to Instagram to praise Chris Coghill. Posting the scene, he wrote: "We all know the love I have for @lawrencejarobb but, @official_chriscoghill is potentially the best casting I've seen in a soap. What he's done with Kev is second to none. Absolutely brilliant, consistently."
Fans have also praised the actor's work, as Kev's character has undergone a rebrand since his return, showing a softer and funnier side. On a Reddit thread, u/eesagud wrote: "I love Kev's character in general and have since day one." On X (formerly Twitter), @charitydales added: "i feel so maternal over kev from emmerdale ffs he’s just stolen my heart." @sarah2022x penned: "Only Kev can get away with wearing a pinny swinging on the swings with a bag of lemons!" @jamesprestigio1 noticed: "2025 - Threatening Mackenzie while wearing an apron and holding a feather duster. 2026 - Giving Mackenzie sound advice while swinging on a swing with a bag of lemons in his hand. Still hilarious a year apart, but what a difference for Kev."
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and is also available to stream on ITVX and YouTube from 7am.
