Bradley Riches, who plays Lewis Barton in Emmerdale, has revealed how acting helped him overcome challenges growing up on the autism spectrum. Diagnosed at the age of nine, Bradley remained non-verbal until he was 10, relying on sound, movement, and communication cards to express himself.
During a guest appearance on ITV’s Loose Women, Bradley shared how drama lessons played a transformative role in his life. “Acting definitely saved me in a lot of ways,” he explained. “Through characters, I kind of learned via myself. It was like an escapism and it was kind of changing.”
Bradley, 23, joined the Emmerdale cast this year as Lewis Barton, a character who is both gay and autistic. He jumped at the role, saying it gave him the opportunity to represent both the queer and autistic communities on screen. “I have always wanted to tell stories, autistic stories, especially positive ones,” he added.
His journey highlights the power of the arts in personal development and self-expression, particularly for neurodiverse individuals.
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX.
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