Everyone is excited that big Kev Townsend (Christopher Coghill) is making his Emmerdale return, but can we just take a moment to appreciate the unexpected hero that is Ross Barton (Michael Parr)?

I mean, no wonder Laurel and Gabby have been getting their knickers in a twist over this serial flirt – out of nowhere he’s become the reluctant hero of the hour, saving Sam’s marriage by teaching him how to satisfy his wife’s dance needs, helping Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy) move on after discovering she’d shacked up with people trafficker Ray (Joe Absolom).

Now he’s going all out to save brother Lewis from a ransom-grabbing kidnapper.

Lewis Barton (Bradley Riches) was heading to the airport to join boyfriend Vinny (Bradley Johnson) on holiday when he was kidnapped. Now the kidnapper wants their payday. Ross receives a threatening message that if he ever wants to see Lewis again, he needs to give her ‘Penny’.

Jeffrey has nothing for them and Liam is forced to reveal a shocking truth to Ross – Kev is Lewis’ biological dad.

Ross is blindsided, but not enough to knock him off his heroic plan. But then the kidnapper makes their next move.

Kylie, who has Lewis, approaches Ross. She fills in the puzzle pieces, explaining Lewis will only get released once Kev returns Penny, ‘the most precious thing in the world’.

Liam turns to Claudette (Flo Wilson) and tells her she must reveal Kev’s whereabouts or someone might die. Good old Claude comes through and Liam tracks down Kev, he’s gone all Paul Hollywood and is selling cakes from his van.

Kev couldn’t give a Battenberg about Lewis’ predicament and winds Ross up to the point he explodes, using violence against Kev to shake him up.

Kev then fills in the rest of the blanks; Penny is a diamond he sold to a pawn shop. He claims it’s long gone, but once alone, it transpires he has it tied around his neck. How very Rose Dawson in Titanic of him.

Clearly the jewel means more to him than his own son, as Ross later receives a text from Kylie that turns on the frighteners – it features scalpels as she prepares to disfigure Lewis while Kev keeps the bling under wraps.

Kylie tells Kev to return it by the end of the day and reminds him of her eight years in Holloway. It does the trick, he pretends he’s located the diamond and bought it back, but Ross is no fool. Sensing a swindle, he decks him.

With Kev out for the count, Ross tells Liam his plan is to use Kev as insurance. Will he manage to get Lewis back, and in one piece?