BBC/ITV/Composite: EastEnders Insider Share By Joel Harley Jul 24 2025 By Joel Harley Jul 24 2025 EastEnders' worst-ever villain joins rival soap as Chris Coghill prepares for Emmerdale debut Chris was at the heart of one of EastEnders' hardest-hitting storylines Classic EastEnders Emmerdale Share By Joel Harley Jul 24 2025 By Joel Harley Jul 24 2025 EastEnders’ worst ever villain is joining rival soap Emmerdale, it has been revealed. Chris Coghill played Tony King on the BBC soap opera for over a year, shocking audiences when it was revealed that he had been grooming and abusing step daughter Whitney Dean. The actor, now 50, is set to join Emmerdale as a mysterious new character, ITV bosses have revealed. Here’s all we know about Chris’s Emmerdale debut. Chris plays enigmatic newcomer Kev (Credit: BBC) Who will Chris Coghill play in Emmerdale? Emmerdale boss Laura Shaw has revealed preciously little about Chris’s role in the soap. What we do know is that that he’ll be playing a mysterious newcomer named Kev. “We are delighted that someone of Chris’ calibre has joined our cast. I think the viewers will be intrigued to see how the character of Kev will cause shockwaves this autumn,” said Laura. Article continues below Read all the latest spoilers She went on to hint that Kev has a ‘strong connection’ to an existing character. She continued: “It’s safe to say his arrival is going to be a massive surprise that will have major repercussions for some of our villagers.” But who exactly was EastEnders’ Tony King? And when did he leave? Chris was on EastEnders for over a year (Credit: BBC) Who was Tony King in EastEnders? Audiences will best remember Chris for playing vile Tony in EastEnders. Tony arrived on the scene in 2008, as the partner of Bianca Jackson. Bianca and Tony had met during her time away from Walford, and he’d been in prison, serving time for allegedly beating up a minor. Kind and caring on the outside, Tony was actually a paedophile, who had been in a sexual relationship with Whitney since she was 12. He broke off his relationship with Whitney as she grew older – his attraction waning since she was no longer a child. After taking a job at a children’s community support centre, Tony began grooming Lauren Branning. Jealous Whitney then tried to convince Tony that they should run away together, but he rejected her. The police arrested Tony after Bianca learned what he’d done (Credit: BBC) What happened to EastEnders villain Tony? After Tony spurned her, Whitney revealed the truth about their relationship to Bianca. Appalled, Bianca confronted Tony and realised that her daughter was telling the truth. She then called the police, who subsequently arrested Tony. He attempted to take his own life in a ploy to see Whitney, but his attempts to manipulate her ultimately failed. A jury sentenced Tony to 13 years in prison for his abuse of Whitney, where he ultimately took his own life. Read more: Who’s leaving, joining and returning to EastEnders? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns. Share Good to Know Share By Joel Harley Jul 24 2025 By Joel Harley Jul 24 2025
