Popular Emmerdale star has one major issue with his character 'it's excruciating'
Emmerdale's Kev Barton has been a fan-favourite since his debut last year
There's one element of Kev Barton's personality that actor Chris Coghill isn't a fan of. Emmerdale viewers will recall that Kev made his debut in the village back in September 2025, where he was introduced as Robert Sugden's (Ryan Hawley) estranged husband. Through a sequence of flashbacks, it emerged that Kev and Robert had got married while in prison. The situation intensified when Kev arrived in the village, reaching a climax when he held Robert and Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) hostage with a samurai sword.
He subsequently departed the Dales, but has now returned in an attempt to forge a relationship with his son, Lewis Barton (Bradley Riches). Kev has been determined to reform his behaviour, but his former associate, Steve Sykes (Jason Done), has recently thrown a spanner in the works, reports OK!.
Kev has emerged as a beloved character in the Dales, with audiences frequently left in stitches while watching him. There's one specific aspect of his personality that soap enthusiasts have grown particularly fond of.
Emmerdale viewers will be aware that Kev enjoys a good singalong. He memorably attempted to win Robert back by performing Daniel Bedingfield's 2002 hit If You're Not the One, and even disclosed his parentage to Lewis by belting out Boyzone's iconic track Father and Son.
Audiences will therefore be astonished to discover that actor Chris Coghill is not fond of his character's amusing singing scenes.
Speaking to the Daily Express and other press at a recent Emmerdale event in Leeds, Chris said that he "f****** hates" the musical numbers. "Laura [Shaw, producer] did say to me the other week, 'Do you want to do All I Want for Christmas Is You?' And I said, 'If you keep it till Christmas 2029, I'll do it then!'" he joked.
"That's how my contract negotiations are going. But no, it's excruciating. Horrible."
Chris confessed that he isn't a karaoke fan in real life, stating: "If I could sing, I wouldn't be an actor. If I could sing, I would have been in a band in the 1990s."
Later this week, Kev will carry on building his relationship with his son, Lewis. While Kev is delighted at Lewis' suggestion to spend the day together, he's just as worried about keeping a secret hidden.
Kev proposes to teach Lewis to ride a bike when he reveals that he never learnt, but is left alarmed when Lewis agrees. Could this draw them even closer?
Emmerdale airs weekday nights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX
