Emmerdale Star Christopher Coghill Teases Future of “Incredibly Dangerous” Kev Townsend Ahead of Death Plot
Emmerdale actor Christopher Coghill has opened up about what’s next for his chilling character, Kev Townsend, as the explosive love triangle between Kev, Robert Sugden, and Aaron Dingle reaches breaking point.
The soap newcomer, who joined the ITV series last month, has already shaken up life in the Dales. It was recently revealed that Kev isn’t just a mysterious newcomer but Robert Sugden’s secret husband, a twist that has left fans reeling — and Aaron devastated.
“Kev Is Unhinged but Not Pure Evil”
Speaking ahead of next week’s dramatic episodes, Coghill hinted that the danger surrounding his character is about to intensify. “It’s complicated, isn’t it?” he said. “Kev is unhinged. There are genuine feelings there [for Robert], but they’re not quite what they should be.”
“He’s an incredibly dangerous person,” the actor continued. “Kev wouldn’t have any qualms about physically attacking anybody, apart from possibly Robert. People thought, here’s another baddie — but he isn’t. He’s a criminal, and he’s got psychopathic tendencies.”
Next week’s scenes will see Aaron catch Robert and Kev kissing, triggering a confrontation that forces Robert to come clean about his double life.
A Dangerous Presence in the Village
Kev’s arrival has already ruffled feathers among the Dingles, and Coghill confirmed that things are about to get even more volatile. “We [Kev and Aaron] don’t like each other. There’s a lot of tension,” he revealed. “I like working with Danny [Miller], though. There’s quite a nice, little underlying thing with Victoria. She sees a vulnerability in him and there’s some quite sweet stuff that happens.”
He added, “Aaron’s a Dingle, but I wouldn’t like to have a fight with Cain. Charity and Chas get involved to a degree, but a lot of it is concentrated between the three of us — Robert, Aaron, and Kev.”
As tensions mount, Kev’s erratic behaviour and jealousy will make him an unpredictable threat — especially once he realises Robert’s loyalty lies elsewhere.
A Short but Impactful Storyline
While Kev’s terminal illness means his time in the village will be short-lived, Coghill says he jumped at the chance to play such a layered and unpredictable role.
“When I was offered it and told he dies, I thought, ‘I like Emmerdale, and I’d like to be around for a bit,’” he explained. “But when I was told what the character was — and that they weren’t meeting anybody else — I thought, ‘actually, this sounds like a right laugh.’ One day I can be a psychopath, and the next day I’m doing something quite touching, like baking cakes.”
From EastEnders Villain to Emmerdale Wildcard
Soap fans will recognise Coghill from his memorable EastEnders role as Tony King, a villain whose storyline was one of the BBC soap’s most controversial. Reflecting on the audience’s reaction back then, Coghill said the Emmerdale role feels very different in tone — though it’s already sparking plenty of buzz.
“With EastEnders, it was so controversial and groundbreaking at the time,” he recalled. “The reaction was massive. People didn’t want that on screen. But with Emmerdale, I think people will be surprised by what I’m doing here.”
As Emmerdale builds toward Kev’s dark and emotional final chapter, Coghill promises there’s still much more to come. With danger, deceit, and heartbreak colliding, Kev’s end could prove as explosive as his arrival.