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Emmerdale fan-favourite Chris Coghill teases potential for Kev Barton and Nicola King relationship

Chris Coghill talks to Radio Times at the Inside Soap Awards.

Nicola and Kev in a scene from Emmerdale

ITV

Published: Thursday, 1 October 2026 at 1:02 pm

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Chris Coghill has addressed the potential romance between his character Kev Barton and Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) in Emmerdale.

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The two got off to a rocky start, with Nicola discovering that he was her business partner Lewis Barton's (Bradley Riches) birth father. She decided to keep this information from Lewis, though months later, Kev revealed the truth.

At the same time, he established a bakery van and set up shop outside of her caff. Nicola was furious with Kev, ordering him to move the van and find a spot elsewhere. Lewis had a better idea - to give his dad a job at the Main Street Café, much to Nicola's fury.

Recently, following the death of her husband Jimmy (Nick Miles), Kev has been a much-needed shoulder to cry on.

He called by to check on her, and in a moment of madness, they began kissing. It's been a closely-guarded secret ever since, but could something resurface?

Lewis and Kev have a chat around a circular dining table in a scene from Emmerdale

Bradley Riches and Chris Coghill as Lewis and Kev Barton. ITV

When asked whether a relationship could be on the cards at the Inside Soap Awards, Coghill gave a cheeky smile to Radio Times.

"That smile is for Nicola Wheeler. I love her," he laughed.

"I could work with her all day, every day. She's amazing, and we, you know, we bounce off each other, and the characters bounce off each other in a way that is a bit will they/won't they."

The star continued: "The two find themselves as very, very unlikely allies who start to care for each other in a way that ultimately they should both try to protect each other and look after each other and navigate grief.

"There's a lot to go there. There's a lot of mileage."

As for Kev's bond with estranged son Lewis, Coghill described the storyline twist as the "turning point" for his alter-ego to begin showing some vulnerability.

Nicola looks sad with a pair of headphones around her neck in a scene from Emmerdale

Nicola Wheeler as Nicola King. ITV

"He's trying [to be a good father], and it's not conventional, and it's not textbook parenting," he added.

"But he wants his son to be happy, and he might not go about it in the best away. But his ultimate aim with everything he does now is to look after Lewis."

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Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.

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Authors

Michael Adams wearing a white t-shirt and beige gilet against a white background

Michael AdamsSoaps Editor

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

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