Emmerdale Star Chris Coghill Says His ‘Ground-Breaking’ EastEnders Plot ‘Changed Lives’
From EastEnders Villain to Emmerdale Newcomer
Emmerdale’s newest arrival Chris Coghill has reflected on his career-defining and deeply controversial role in EastEnders back in 2008, describing how it sparked public outrage—but also helped real people find justice.
Chris, who now plays Kev Townsend, the secret husband of Robert Sugden, told The Mirror and other outlets that the EastEnders storyline, where he portrayed child abuser Tony King, was “so controversial and pretty ground-breaking at the time.”
The plot, which explored grooming and abuse, made waves for its shocking realism. “People didn’t even want that to be on screen,” he said. “There were worries that viewers might not separate the actor from the character. But for me, it was about telling a truthful story that needed to be told.”
“It Changed Lives”
Despite the controversy, Chris said the storyline’s real-world impact far outweighed the backlash. “It was afterwards that casting directors would say, ‘We can’t really have him playing a romantic lead for a bit,’” he explained. “But one of the reactions to that was that five or six people actually went to prison because people saw that storyline and went, ‘That happened to me,’ and went to the police.
“As an actor, you don’t often get to change people’s lives—but that sort of did.”
Returning to the Dales
Now, Chris is back on familiar territory. He first appeared on Emmerdale decades ago, when he was just 17, and has since popped up in Coronation Street as well. “Weirdly, my first ever job was on Emmerdale,” he said. “I’ve also done Corrie—I’ve done the lot. It’s very different to EastEnders. It’s nice to be here.”
His new Emmerdale character, Kev, will feature prominently next week when Aaron Dingle discovers the truth about Robert’s secret marriage. While fans may expect another villain, Chris teased that there’s more depth to Kev than meets the eye. “I pretty much always play wrong ’uns,” he admitted with a laugh. “I do stuff that gets a reaction. This isn’t on the same level. I think people will be surprised by what I’m doing.”
A New Chapter and New Friendships
Behind the scenes, the atmosphere is much lighter than the drama unfolding on-screen. Chris praised his co-stars Ryan Hawley (Robert) and Danny Miller (Aaron), calling them “fantastic to work with.”
“I’m thoroughly enjoying being here,” he added. “The only downside is having to work with Ryan, I suppose! But it’s an absolutely lovely place to work—especially here in the village. It’s stunning, absolutely beautiful.”