ITV Emmerdale's Ryan Hawley confirms he's back 'for good' after six years away

fans were thrilled to see Ryan Hawley reprise his role as Robert Sugden in Wednesday's (28 May) gripping episode, marking his return "for good" after a six-year hiatus. Viewers of the soap witnessed Robert gatecrashing the nuptials of his former flame Aaron Dingle and half-brother , years following Robert's incarceration for Lee Posner's murder.

Now, in a new interview, Ryan has confirmed that his comeback to the soap is not fleeting but permanent. The actor further elaborated that he had been approached previously to revisit the iconic role, but it had "never felt quite right" until now. "Recently, while I was living in Brazil with my family, where we had been for the past year, Danny texted to see how I would feel. We've always kept in touch, and after a lot of thought, I told him, 'Yeah, I am up for it.' I then got a call swiftly from the producers, and it went from there," he shared.

Speaking to the , he said: "The secret is out today! My character is returning permanently and not just for Aaron and John's wedding. I am back for good, and I am so excited to be playing Robert again." Robert shared that he has relocated back to the UK permanently for the soap. "The timing felt right for us to not only move back to Britain, but also for me to come back to Emmerdale," he revealed. "Enough time has passed, and with this big wedding storyline, it is the right time for Robert to cause chaos and huge drama!"

The return of Robert to the village has been shrouded in mystery, but actor Ryan has let slip that his character is on a mission to halt a wedding. "He causes disasters wherever he goes, but on this occasion, he wants to stop the wedding - and while it will cause chaos, it's also the right thing to do, because we know John isn't right for Aaron," he divulged.

Ryan was coaxed back into the role he left in 2019 after a five-year stint, thanks to a nudge from Danny Miller, who portrays Aaron. From Brazil, where Ryan resided with his wife Daisy Prestes de Oliveira and their children, Danny reached out to gauge his interest in a comeback.

Emmerdale producers pulled out all the stops to keep his character's reappearance under wraps, even by the soap's high standards. In a covert move, his script lines were labelled 'Marco' - a nod to an ex-flame of Aaron's - and Ryan used a hidden entrance to access the studios from his Yorkshire abode.

With a grin, he remarked, "It has made me feel very special and important, the way people have treated me since I decided to come back."

Earlier this week, Emmerdale viewers were certain that John - the killer of Nate Robinson - might commit another murder after his former partner Aidan awoke from a years-long coma.

Emmerdale usually airs Monday to Friday on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.