Emmerdale fans will soon be seeing a little less of Bradley Riches on screen, but the reason behind it is actually great news for the ITV soaps.

The actor, who plays Lewis Barton in the long-running village drama, is set to take a short break from filming after landing a major festive theatre role later this year.

Bradley joined Emmerdale in 2025 as Lewis, the long-lost son of infamous killer Emma Barton. His arrival quickly shook things up as he tracked down his brother Ross and introduced himself to the family, instantly becoming part of the action in the village.

Since then, Lewis has had quite the journey. When he first appeared, he was running a dodgy weed-growing operation, but over time, the character has softened and built a new life for himself.

He eventually became co-owner of the village café and uncovered more secrets about his past, including meeting his biological father, dangerous gangster Kev Townsend.

More recently, Lewis has been part of a touching storyline after beginning a relationship with Vinny Dingle, a pairing that’s quickly won over viewers.

But while the character remains a key part of the show, Bradley will temporarily step away from the Dales later this year for a completely different kind of stage.

The actor has signed up for a festive pantomime at the Sunderland Empire, where he’ll take on the title role in Further Adventures of Peter Pan: The Return of Captain Hook.

Announcing the casting, the theatre shared its excitement about welcoming the star.

‘BRADLEY RICHES from Netflix’s Heartstopper, Emmerdale and Big Brother is flying into Sunderland this Christmas as our thrill-seeking hero, Peter Pan!

Join us in Neverland this festive season for sword fights, crocodile chases, and jaw-dropping stunts!’

The production will run from the 11th of December 2026 through to the 3rd of January 2027, meaning Bradley will be swapping the Yorkshire countryside for Neverland over the festive period.

In the past, this kind of opportunity could have caused major problems for soap stars. Traditionally, actors from Emmerdale and its sister show Coronation Street were not allowed to step away from filming for lucrative pantomime gigs, meaning some performers had to leave their roles entirely if they wanted to take part.

However, ITV bosses have now relaxed that rule.

For the first time, several actors from both soaps will be allowed to take time away from filming to appear in pantomimes during the festive season.

However, the festive theatre stint doesn’t mean Bradley is leaving the soap behind.

ITV has recently changed its approach when it comes to pantomime roles, allowing a small number of stars from both Emmerdale and Coronation Street to temporarily step away from filming to take part in stage productions over Christmas.

An Emmerdale spokesperson confirmed the update, saying: ‘We’ve agreed to release a few of the actors from Emmerdale and Coronation Street to appear in pantomime this year.

‘We’ve been looking at this for a while and with plenty of notice, we’ve been able to release the actors for a limited time.’

Importantly for fans, the actors involved won’t be departing the soaps permanently. Instead, they’ll return to filming once their festive theatre runs come to an end, meaning Bradley will be back in the Dales after his time in Neverland.

The shift in policy comes after ITV previously lost some well-known stars when they opted for theatre roles instead.

Back in 2017, Adam Thomas walked away from Emmerdale after reportedly securing a £100,000 payday for a pantomime role when bosses wouldn’t release him from his contract.

More recently, in 2023, Matthew Wolfenden also departed the soap after being denied permission to take part in a stage production of Elf in the West End.

Meanwhile, actors on EastEnders have long been able to combine their soap careers with festive theatre. Stars such as Steve McFadden and Adam Woodyatt have regularly taken on panto roles, often earning huge six-figure fees in the process