Emmerdale’s Kev Townsend arrested after faking terminal illness to manipulate Robert Sugden

On November 7, 2025, Kev Townsend—a character portrayed by actor Chris Coghill—was arrested in Emmerdale for armed robbery after it was revealed he’d been faking a terminal cancer diagnosis to trap his husband, Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley), into staying in their marriage. The deception unraveled when Dr. Liam Cavanagh confronted Kev during a tense scene at Tracy Robinson’s shop, discovering not only that Kev had never been ill, but that he’d manipulated Liam into driving him to a pawn shop in Hotten, where Kev robbed the store at gunpoint, stealing £2,000 in cash, jewelry, and a samurai sword. The weapon, oddly familiar to Aaron Dingle, sparked suspicions that quickly turned to certainty.

The Heist That Unraveled a Lie

Kev’s plan was chillingly simple: exploit Robert’s guilt over their fractured marriage by pretending he had months to live. He needed money—not for treatment, but for farm machinery, a lie he told Robert to justify the theft. He scavenged a disguise from a lost property bin, slipped on a black holdall, and waited. When his original getaway driver backed out, Kev staged a heart attack at Tracy’s shop, knowing Liam—a trusted doctor and friend—would rush to help. Liam, unaware, drove him to Hotten. But instead of heading to a chemist, Kev bolted into the pawn shop. Witnesses later described him as calm, almost serene, as he waved the gun and demanded cash. When banknotes spilled from his bag, Liam froze. "Just drive," Kev ordered. And Liam did—until he saw the gun in Kev’s pocket.

Robert’s Broken Trust

Robert, who’d spent months believing his husband was dying, initially dismissed Aaron Dingle’s suspicions. "Seriously, he’s put all that behind him," Robert insisted. But when he found the samurai sword hidden under Kev’s bed—along with the stolen cash and jewelry—the facade shattered. "How am I ever going to be able to trust you again?" Robert whispered, voice cracking. Kev didn’t deny it. Instead, he leaned in and murmured, "I could kill Aaron if I wanted to." Robert didn’t blink. He just nodded, terrified, and promised to keep quiet—for now.

Robron Rises From the Ashes

That moment became the catalyst for the most anticipated reunion in Emmerdale history: the return of "Robron"—Robert and Aaron’s iconic pairing. Aaron, who’d quietly loved Robert for years, didn’t gloat. He didn’t gloat. He simply said, "We’re not letting him destroy you again." Together, they alerted DS Carter, who arrived at the village church just as Kev sneaked in to retrieve the stolen goods. The arrest was swift, brutal, and cathartic for viewers who’d watched Robert spiral since his marriage to Kev.

What made the twist even more powerful? The emotional betrayal. Victoria found Robert’s old wedding vow speech—written before he knew Kev was lying. It was tender, raw, full of promises he thought he’d never get to keep. Aaron, ever the moral compass, told Robert: "Go through with the vows. He thinks he’s dying. Let him have that peace." But then came the bombshell: Liam revealed Kev had never been sick. Not once. The vows were a farce. The love, a performance.

Fan Reactions: From Hating Kev to Loving Him

Here’s the twist no one saw coming: fans now love Kev. Social media exploded with comments like, "I love Kev—can we keep him please?" and "He’s the best thing on TV right now." The character, once written off as a manipulative villain, became magnetic in his chaos. Chris Coghill’s performance—equal parts terrifying and tragically human—turned Kev into a dark antihero. Even as his departure looms, viewers are begging for more. Radio Times confirmed in December 2025 that Coghill had wrapped filming for his limited stint, with Kev’s exit aligning with a wave of other departures, including Bernice Blackstock and Leyla Harding.

What’s Next? Robert Behind Bars and a Secret Fatherhood

Actor Ryan Hawley has promised a standalone special episode detailing Robert’s time in prison—a story that will fill in the gaps of his lost years and explore his emotional reckoning. Meanwhile, a quiet subplot has fans buzzing: Kev had a one-night stand with a Leeds barmaid named Emma, who became pregnant. The child? Lewis Barton, portrayed by She Miah Kammyadiq. No one in the village knows—not even Kev. But viewers have connected the dots. If confirmed, this adds another layer of tragedy: Kev didn’t just lie to Robert—he unknowingly fathered a child who now lives under the same roof as the man he betrayed.

As for the samurai sword? It’s been handed over to police, but Aaron quietly kept a photo of it—his way of remembering how close Robert came to losing everything. "We survived him," Aaron told Robert after the arrest. "Now we build something real."