Emmerdale fan favourite and social media sensation Bradley Riches has had a remarkable year. On-screen, his alter ego Lewis Barton has become a beloved character, centering a love story with Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson). Off-screen, Riches married Scott Johnston after a two-year engagement in a star-studded ceremony.
Now, Riches has spoken about returning to the role that launched him to stardom: James McEwan in the Netflix romantic drama Heartstopper. The graphic novel adaptation, which follows teens navigating sexuality and identity, ran for three seasons. Netflix confirmed a feature-length film, Heartstopper Forever, to conclude the story, premiering July 17th.
On Instagram, Riches shared a cast photo with the caption: 'Heartstopper Forever – Out July 17th. This show means so much to me, from the first season 4 years ago to the last one coming soon, it’s been a dream come true.'
Creator Alice Oseman said: 'The movie will be an exploration of time, memory, love, pain, the changing of the seasons, endings and beginnings, and the core element of Heartstopper: the ordinary magic of our everyday lives.'
Riches recently married Scott Johnston, whom he got engaged to in early 2024 after competing in Celebrity Big Brother, where he placed 6th. Tragically, his great-grandmother passed away weeks before the wedding. He shared a childhood photo with her, writing: 'Never did I think I would be saying goodbye to my Gt. Nanny just days before my wedding. Before she passed, she told me she’d be with me on my big day… and I know she will be. She loved Scott so much – never questioned us, just loved us fully. I will miss you every day.'
Riches previously revealed his A-list wedding guest list, including friends from Emmerdale, Heartstopper, and Big Brother. He told The Mail: 'We’ve got my new friends from Emmerdale, a couple of them are coming, Heartstopper, some of them. The Big Brother lot, I think all of them are actually coming. Like David Potts, Colson Smith, Nikita Kuzmin, Sharon Osbourne, Levi Roots, Zeze Millz, Marisha Wallace, Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, and other people I’ve met along the way, like Arlene Phillips, Tasha Ghouri from Love Island. It’s going to be really nice.'
