Emmerdale viewers can anticipate plenty of dramatic twists next week, with spoilers revealing gun chaos, hidden truths and shocking revelations. An unlikely friendship may develop at a crucial moment for one beloved character who’s going through difficulties. Meanwhile, another resident is forced to take drastic measures as a situation spirals beyond their control, while one couple faces potential trouble and another relationship hangs in the balance, depending on a villager’s actions.
Among the key characters featuring prominently next week is Lewis Barton (played by Bradley Riches), as the soap highlights the daily challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals as they attempt to navigate mainstream society. Viewers will witness Lewis, who is autistic, masking his true feelings until everything becomes too much to bear.
The storyline begins next week when Lewis battles to conceal his anxiety during a housewarming celebration. He attempts to remain composed as festivities unfold, keeping himself occupied to maintain distraction, and when guests depart for the pub, he remains behind to “tidy up”.
When Kev turns up searching for his jacket, an unexpected bond begins to form. Subsequently, Lewis feels the pressure of his demanding workload at the café but successfully masks his feelings until he’s alone, when his façade crumbles.
When a line of customers becomes too much to handle, Lewis walks away from his duties and attempts to reach home before experiencing a panic attack. However, when Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) visits his residence to discover what’s happened, will he confide in her?
Meanwhile, Kev Townsend (Christopher Coghill) finds himself in a scuffle with Mack Boyd (Lawrence Robb) over a spilt cup of coffee, all the while maintaining his lie about his “impending death” to keep Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) close.
Robert is wracked with guilt over leaving Kev during what he believes are his final months, and makes the decision to care for Kev when the time comes – a decision that his partner Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) supports.
However, things take an unexpected turn when Kev is later seen brandishing a handgun and planning his next move – leaving viewers wondering what he’s up to.
In other news, Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) and Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) are keeping secrets from each other, and Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) is seething over Mack’s friendship with her Ross Barton (Martin Parr), worried their affair will be exposed.
She attempts to steer Mack towards befriending Liam instead, but their personalities clash and it seems unlikely to happen. However, when Charity uncovers some information about Liam, likely related to the secret he’s hiding from her friend Chas, she uses it as leverage to coerce him into giving his relationship with Mack another shot.
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV and ITVX.
