Emmerdale's Kev to make surprise gesture to Nicola in poignant new scenes

Emmerdale's Nicola King is still grief-stricken after the death of her husband Jimmy in August, but a touching scene airing next week will see her find solace in Kev Barton.

In new scenes, Nicola throws everyone out of the cafe after becoming overwhelmed by the lunchtime rush. Thankfully, Kev persuades her to open the door and consoles her with a hug.

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Kev has often been there for Nicola in the wake of Jimmy's death, becoming her shoulder to cry on as she went through the grieving process. The pair have a heart to heart where Nicola opens up about her sadness, and Kev surprisingly reveals his own vulnerable side as well.

Nicola reminisces about Jimmy and admits she has been having trouble sleeping without him snoring next to her. Kev offers her his bed, hoping it will give her the change of scenery she needs. Nicola, touched by his generosity, accepts his offer.

The moving moment continues later on as Nicola still struggles to fall asleep in Kev's bed. However, as she heads out she passes Kev sleeping on the sofa. His snoring immediately reminds her of Jimmy, the sound she'd been missing all along.

She lies down on the floor next to him, hoping the comforting sound of his breathing will finally send her to sleep. Such a beautiful moment will surely have fans wondering whether a romance is in Kev and Nicola's future.

That theory may not be far off – the two have formed an unlikely bond that even led to a drunken kiss before Nicola pushed Kev away, horrified by her mistake.

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Earlier this month, Emmerdale producer Sophie Roper told Inside Soap that the show still hasn't ruled out the possibility of a romantic storyline between the two.

"The dynamic is really beautiful," said Sophie. "In the immediate future, we invest in Kev and Nicola's friendship... That's not to say that it won't evolve as we go into the future!"

Sophie stressed that Emmerdale intends to make fans wait for their bond to grow naturally.

"The more that you make the audience fall in love with them and want them to be together, it means that the moment that you get to that point, the pay-off has been worth the wait."

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

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