The Emmerdale cast 'bloodbath' has claimed a new victim, as it has been reported that Bradley Johnson has been axed from the soap after seven years. Bradley, 28, joined the show in 2019 alongside Lisa Riley, 49, when she made her return as Mandy Dingle to play her adopted son, Vinny, but will now be reportedly written out of the show.
ITV has been hit by widespread cuts in recent months as a result of several factors, including changing viewer habits that have resulted in a shift towards streaming services. A source told The Sun On Sunday: 'Bradley is a very popular member of the cast and especially close with his on-screen Dingle family. Everyone is shocked that bosses decided to axe him, but it's all part of the ITV cuts and they still need to trim back the cast. They are making fewer episodes, so don't need as many characters.'
Lisa Riley is reportedly 'devastated' by the decision to axe her on-screen adopted son. The source added: 'She adores Bradley and they have such a close bond. It just shows that no one is safe.' It is not known how the character will be written out of the soap, but it has been reported that bosses are planning a dramatic storyline in the near future to get rid of even more members of the village.
Bradley Johnson said of his character in 2022: 'I'm just loving my time on Emmerdale, as long as the writing is great, as it is, I'm just grateful to be here.'
Other characters whose axing from the show have been confirmed include Nick Miles, 63, who is better known to fans as Jimmy King. He is an even longer-standing cast member than Vinny and has been a familiar face in the village since 2004. The Radio Times reported that the much-loved character will be removed from the show this autumn. This will happen as part of a storyline that kicks off when Jimmy's ex-wife Sadie King (Patsy Kensit) comes back to the dales.
Opening up about Sadie's return, producer Laura Shaw described it as an 'explosive' storyline that is 'guaranteed to shock.' She teased: 'Sadie's seductive demeanor, combined with her utterly ruthless nature, are set to deliver a spectacular and highly dramatic touch of class to the Yorkshire Dales.' Kensit, meanwhile, added: 'I am really excited to return to Emmerdale. I treasure the years I was here before. Sadie King is a character that I really loved playing. The cast and crew are absolutely brilliant and I am so grateful for the chance to return to the show - it's absolutely amazing.'
In case your memory needs refreshing, Sadie left the village back in 2006 amid a dramatic ransom plot storyline, so her return really is 'guaranteed to shock.' The Daily Mail has reached out to ITV for comment.
