Lorraine Kelly couldn't contain her excitement as she discussed the latest Emmerdale casting news on her show this Wednesday (March 19). On today's instalment of Lorraine, the beloved ITV presenter chatted about Heartstopper sensation Bradley Riches joining the iconic soap, saying: "He's a wee sweetie." "Now, in the last few hours, it's been announced that lovely Bradley Riches, he was on the show, he's a wee sweetie. He is going to be a regular cast member on Emmerdale," Lorraine revealed. She continued, highlighting his previous work: "We, of course, know him from his role in Netflix's Heartstopper and he was in the Celebrity Big Brother house, wasn't he? We don't know anything about the character or the storylines as yet, he will be on our screens from May and we shall find out more as we get it." Riches has made a name for himself portraying James McEwan in the acclaimed Netflix series Heartstopper and has graced the stage in various local productions and pantomimes, reports the Daily Record . In March 2024, Bradley stepped into the Celebrity Big Brother house for the rebooted series of the reality TV staple, finishing in sixth place. David Potts of Ibiza Weekender fame went on to clinch the title. Bradley is set to start filming for Emmerdale this week, with his character expected to make his on-screen debut in May. While the identity of his Emmerdale character remains shrouded in mystery, fans are eagerly awaiting an official announcement from ITV regarding his role. Bradley expressed sheer delight about his new gig in a statement, saying: "I'm beyond excited to be joining Emmerdale! It's a real bucket list moment for me, especially since it was my grandad's favourite soap, I just know he'd be over the moon." He added, "Everyone has been so lovely and welcoming, and the village is even more amazing in real life. I absolutely love my character (though I can't spill too much just yet! ), and I'm just so grateful for this opportunity. I can't wait for everyone to see what's in store." Emmerdale's producer Laura Shaw shared her excitement as well: "We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Bradley to the Emmerdale family. Bradley brings a wealth of talent and his warmth, wit and charisma makes him perfect for this new Emmerdale role." She also said, "We have some wonderful stories for him to play and we can't wait for the audience to see Bradley bring his new character bursting into life on screen." Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX