Exclusive: Emmerdale star reveals one key moment that saved Kev

Emmerdale star Chris Coghill has revealed the one key thing that changed the audience's perception of his character Kev Townsend, leading to his double win at the Inside Soap Awards.

Speaking exclusively to us at Inside Soap after picking up Best Newcomer and Best Comic Performance at our awards, Chris named one specific scene as the one that swayed public opinion of his controversial character.

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"When I first came in, Kev was a lot darker and scarier," explains Chris. "But I've got to take my hat off to [Emmerdale's producer] Laura Shaw and say that she was right in giving me the singing scenes. That's when people’s perception of him shifted.

"It was vulnerable, but it was also funny. And I think my tendency towards bringing out humour when there wasn't humour also led it into a different direction that people liked and ended up being written for. I’ve been given a lot of freedom – and clearly, the people that count like it."

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Chris also enthused that he couldn't believe his Best Newcomer win, as he first appeared in a soap more than 20 years ago. Aside from Kev, Chris's most well-known soap role was Tony King in EastEnders, who he portrayed back in 2008.

"It’s mad because Emmerdale, Coronation Street, EastEnders, Hollyoaks, Waterloo Road, I’ve been in all of them, and I’ve got Best Newcomer!" he laughs. "The best thing about it is, to me, the team on Emmerdale is extraordinary. I love being there and all the people
that work there.

"To get any recognition for doing something you love is above and beyond. I’ve found myself in a psychotic, funny wrong’un with a heart!"

Read the full chat with Chris and our other winners in this week's issue of Inside Soap, out tomorrow in shops and available to download.

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.

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