Gay Heartstopper star Bradley Riches takes aim at cruel Emmerdale trolls

Heartstopper star Bradley Riches has responded to trolls who have mocked his Emmerdale character Lewis Barton, who is autistic.

Lewis is the soap’s first neurodivergent character, and the long-lost half-brother of Ross Barton.

Bradley Riches, who plays James McEwan in LGBTQ+ Netflix drama Heartstopper, has been open about his identity as a gay man with autism. He told ITV News: “The writing for Lewis so far has been perfect. For people to say, ‘Oh he’s the most vile person in the village’, no, he’s not. You just don’t understand him.

“A lot of neurodivergent people get viewed like this all the time: misjudged and prejudged.He is autistic, he is openly gay, and I think a lot of these comments [stem] from [them] not meeting or knowing someone like that.

“The more we expose people to these kinds of people, the world will be more accepting. That’s why representation is key.”

Riches was diagnosed with autism when he was nine years old, and has used his experience to write a children’s book, “A” Different Kind of Superpower, in the hope of helping other neurodiverse youngsters.

For much of his fledgling career, which has included his time on Heartstopper, and appearing on Celebrity Big Brother last year, Riches has voiced his hope of improving the on-screen representation of neurodiverse people. According to many viewers, he succeeded.

Now 23, Riches has also revealed his hopes for Lewis’ future.

Speaking to Inside Soap, he said: “At the moment, I love Lewis just being himself and showing that you don’t need a partner. He’s never had a boyfriend but he knows that he likes boys.

“I definitely think he would be open to getting to know someone if the right person came along. It takes him a while to trust so it would be a slow-burner if he did fancy someone, but it would be very exciting.”

Emmerdale is on ITV1 Monday-Friday at 7.30pm and is available to stream on ITVX.

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