What’s Vinny’s secret?

Will Emmerdale’s Vinny have his darkest truths exposed when he’s caught stealing from the family?

emmerdale’s Mandy Dingle and her son Vinny resort to robbing their own family this week in a bid to pay off their debts. But when they’re caught and forced to face the wrath of the Dingles, there’s an even darker secret they’re terrified will be revealed.

Bradley Johnson, who plays Vinny, explains, ‘So far we’ve seen Vinny as a bumbling character. But he’s been brought up by Mandy – she’s taught him everything he knows in terms of scams and he can be ruthless. He’s also hiding a big secret and he’s scared of it coming out.’

Vinny and his mum, played by Lisa Riley, had been carrying out a casino swindle which netted them a small fortune. But with gambling boss Terry demanding his money back, the pair are rumbled trying to steal from the bank account of Sam Dingle’s fiancée, Lydia.

When Sam calls a ‘Dingle Court’ and the thieves face a trial by their family, Mandy is confident they will be exonerated. But Vinny’s more scared his secret will be discovered, says Bradley. ‘Vinny’s found somewhere he fits in and feels secure. He loves the Dingles and they love him. But this secret could change that and he’s worried they’ll send him away.’

The drama, however, doesn’t end there, as when Terry turns up on their doorstep, they’re left fearing for their lives. Will the rest of the Dingles come to their rescue? ‘You’ll just have to watch,’ is all Bradley will say.

Bradley first appeared in Emmerdale earlier this year when Mandy arrived for a brief stay, before the pair headed back to their home in Southampton. They returned and are now living with the Dingles at the centre of the action. ‘It means we see more of Vinny,’ says Bradley, ‘and I’m

loving it. Being in the Dingles is like being part of soap royalty.’

Bradley, who’s 22 and from Bradford, has been acting since he was a child, and in 2007 appeared in the film And When Did You Last See Your Father, with Colin Firth and Jim Broadbent. More recently he’s had roles in TV dramas including The Syndicate and Five Days with Suranne Jones. But he’s thrilled to be in the show he watched while growing up. ‘Mum and Grandma love it, they’re so proud I’m in it,’ he

says. ‘Emmerdale can be daunting, as everyone knows each other, but Lisa Riley is fantastic to work with and we get on like a house on fire.’

Bradley’s a man of many talents and in 2017 he reached the final of BBC1’S Let It Shine, Gary Barlow’s search for a boy band. ‘I love to sing, it’s something I’ll always do,’ he says. ‘But right now, I’m focused on Emmerdale. It’s a dream to be here. I love getting the scripts to see what mischief Vinny gets up to.’ ■