Emmerdale star Lewis Cope has teased his future in the ITV soap after Nicky was revealed to be the one who pushed his dad Caleb Milligan off a woodland ridge before leaving him for dead.
Caleb, who arrived in the village back in December as the long-lost brother of Cain and Chas Dingle, has spent the last few days in an induced coma in the hospital after being found sprawled out the ground in the woods by Cain, played by Jeff Hoardley, who was out walking the dog.
Cain was quizzed by the police after Caleb made a few enemies before he was left for dead after his plan to bring down Kim Tate while managing to ruin Butler's Farm, which is owned by Cain's wife Moira, was exposed. After being thrown out of the pub by half-sister Chas after taking potshots at her, Cain, Mackenzie Boyd and Leyla Cavanagh, Caleb was seen walking away before being seen by himself in the woods.
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He was heard screaming into thin air as the frustrations of what's been happening became too much. But unbeknownst to him, a mystery figure had pursued him and as he let out his emotions on a woodland ridge, Caleb was suddenly pushed him over the edge.
It is currently Mack who is being accused of attempted murder but police still have their suspicions over Cain. However, during Tuesday night's trip to the Dales (June 20), the truth was finally revealed as Nicky arrived at the hospital to visit his dad.
Chas and Charity Dingle were by his bedside after doctors suggested they were going to try to wake him up. After updating Nicky on his dad's condition, the pair left them alone and in tears by his dad’s bedside, Nicky confessed: "I thought I’d killed you."
Speaking about the lead-up to his character's actions, and giving some what of an explanation, actor Lewis told press: "Nicky left the village on the wedding day and comes back to try and make amends with his father. But as he's coming back into the village, he finds out that Caleb has now bought Mill Cottage.
"Caleb lied to Nicky all the way through and said that the only reason they were trying to get the money and get revenge was to look after his mam."
Explaining the moment Nicky pushed Caleb intentionally to his death, Lewis said: "He followed him into the woods and I think it's a spur of the moment. He feels betrayed and something just came over him. He makes a decision and anger gets the better of him."
But Lewis does think his character is redeamable, suggesting he does have a future in the village. He said: "He still loves his dad and it would be tragic if he was to die. If they find out it's Nicky he could go to prison but I think if they don't find out about Nicky there could be relief as well.
"I think it's definitely redeemable because the lies are not Nicky's lies, they've been fed to him by his dad. He's been the middle man for a lot of it and I think it's his thoughts or feelings. We haven't learned a massive amount of Nicky's background but I don't think he's a massively aggressive person but I think everyone has got the capacity, depending on the situation they're in, to do anything.!
But he teased: "Maybe he could do it again." As for whether he could fix the relationship with his dad, Lewis added: "I'd like to think they could resolve it, but from Caleb's point of view, Nicky's messed up his plan for revenge, and tried to kill him! There’s a mountain to climb before Caleb will forgive."
