Emmerdale star Bradley Riches, who plays Lewis Barton, spoke about Lewis’s autism and the struggles associated with it. The actor opened up about his character’s condition, noting that Lewis is autistic and that viewers will learn more about him. Bradley Riches arrived in the village this year and has shared insights about his character. He told The Mirror that soap fans will learn a lot about Lewis Barton, including his experiences as an autistic person and how autism can impact mental health.
In the show, Kammy threw a housewarming party in last week’s episode, and followers are aware of what happened to Lewis. Bradley said he found portraying the role difficult at times. Though he is portrayed as a happy person, Lewis faces certain challenges. The actor is very proud to play Lewis Barton and aims to bring a bit of himself to the character, hoping to educate people who have never interacted with an autistic person before. He described having Lewis on screen as cool and noted that social situations for the character are particularly challenging. He explained that with autism, many things can be hidden, but there is no mask when alone.
Bradley Riches emphasised that exposing the character’s experiences as an autistic person can educate audiences who lack exposure to autism, while also highlighting the mental health aspects tied to autism.