Emmerdale actor Bradley Riches has confirmed he is taking a break from the ITV soap, telling fans he is heading into pantomime work before returning to screens.
Riches joined the cast as Lewis Barton in May 2025. Lewis is the long-lost son of Emma Barton, played by Gillian Kearney, who first made contact with his older brother Ross, played by Michael Parr. It was later revealed that Kev Townsend, played by Chris Coghill, is Lewis's biological father.
Bond with Kev and romance with Vinny
Despite several obstacles, Lewis and Kev have formed a close bond, with Kev changing his surname to match his son. Lewis has also developed a friendship with Nicola King, played by Nicola Wheeler, who continues to grieve following the death of her husband Jimmy, played by Nick Miles.
Lewis later began a romance with Vinny Dingle, played by Bradley Johnson, after Vinny split from his wife Gabby Thomas, played by Rosie Bentham. Their relationship was recently cut short when Vinny was sentenced to 10 years in prison for causing the crash that killed Jimmy and Dawn Fletcher, played by Olivia Bromley.
Announcement on social media
Sharing a picture of his character hugging Kev, Riches captioned his Instagram Story: "That's a wrap at @emmerdale for now! A little time off before heading straight into Pantoland! So excited to see what's ahead for Lewis in 2027. Feeling very lucky and grateful, as always. See you on your screens soon! Bradley x."
He then posted a video on TikTok of himself dancing to Jamie Miller's hit Babydoll, with the caption: "That's me wrapped on @Emmerdale for a bit. I love my job so much! Wonder what's in store for Lewis. Thanks for all [the] support, love you all!!"
Fans react to the break
Soap fans shared their support in the comments, while others were sad to learn about the break. "Please don't go for very long, we need you in Emmerdale," one person wrote, while another added: "I hope you're not gone for too long, love Lewis."
A third said: "At least you're not leaving for good!" Someone else echoed the sentiment: "Have a smashing time doing the pantomime! Can't wait to see what Lewis will be doing on Emmerdale in the new year!" Another fan shared: "I will miss you on Emmerdale."
Riches is set to star as Peter Pan in the pantomime The Further Adventures of Peter Pan: The Return of Captain Hook at the Sunderland Empire from December 11 to January 3, 2027. The cast also includes Miss Rory, Tom Whalley, Olivia Birchenough, Millie Readshaw, and Sophie Bishop.
Last appearance on screen
Lewis was last seen in Emmerdale on Wednesday, November 4, when he refused to serve Sadie King, played by Patsy Kensit, in the cafe after she lied to Nicola about having been in a relationship with Jimmy before he died. Emmerdale airs weekday nights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
