Bradley Johnson reveals Vinny's "emotional" sexuality story takes a dark turn in Emmerdale

Bradley Johnson has spoken about his Emmerdale character Vinny Dingle's sexuality story for the first time, revealing how things take a terrifying turn next week.

In June, much to his own shock and ours, Vinny tried to kiss new friend Kammy Hadiq (Shebz Miah), despite being engaged to marry Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham).

While Vinny tried to bury his worries, brushing off questions from Kammy, he soon seeks answers online about his new feelings.

But when Vinny meets a man called Mike, who is seemingly supportive as Vinny tries to figure out his sexuality, all is not as it seems, and Mike blackmails Vinny.

Chatting to RadioTimes.com and other press, Johnson told us how it all unfolds.

"All of a sudden we see this sort of shift in [Mike's] body language and his attitude. He starts saying some really horrible, hurtful stuff to Vinny, and Vinny's like, 'Whoa, what's going on here?'

Vinny is in danger from 'Mike'. ITV

"He beats Vinny up. It's a horrendous beating and Vinny's on the floor and he's having flashbacks to everything that happened with him and Paul [Vinny's abusive late father]," explained the actor.

"Mike demands that he send him £10K or else he'll expose his secret to Gabby. And what I think is so cruel that Mike's done, he's secretly recorded Vinny on every meeting.

"When Vinny's on the floor, scared, vulnerable, he plays this recording back to him, and we just see Vinny's world completely collapse."

We'll have to wait and see if anyone can come to Vinny's rescue.

In the meantime, Johnson has shared his initial reaction to his alter ego's new path.

"When I first got told it was a complete shock to me, as I had no idea that was the avenue they were gonna go down with Vinny.

"But once Sophie and Laura told me the storyline, it was quite exciting!" he added.

"For Vinny, [and] everything he's been through in the past with Liv, I think it's a really exciting story to tell of a young lad who's confused, really."

Johnson says Vinny's love for late wife Liv remains. ITV

Vinny's wife Liv (Isobel Steele) died in 2022, and the actor explained how Vinny's new journey won't diminish his true love for her.

"I say a line in the upcoming storyline where it's like, 'I loved Liv, I properly loved Liv,' and I believe it's the first person that Vinny's ever fallen in love with.

"And because obviously Liv had the asexual storyline, I think it just makes him confused of, like, did he love Liv because she was a woman, or did he love Liv because of [her] personality?"

Teasing what viewers can expect going forward, Johnson concluded: "I think it's gonna be shocking, emotional, exciting for the audience to watch; so I'm really, really excited."