Emmerdale regular makes unexpected return after lengthy break and issues stern warning

Emmerdale fans are in for a surprise as Arthur Thomas, played by Alfie Clarke, is set to make a dramatic return to the village after an abrupt exit earlier this year.

The young actor had taken a break from the soap to focus on his school exams but will be back on our screens next week.

Arthur's return comes with a bang as he confronts stepfather Jai Sharma (Chris Bisson) over his treatment of his mother Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy).

As Jai and Laurel navigate a bitter divorce, Arthur steps in to defend his mother, revealing the toll the proceedings have taken on her health. Will Jai heed Arthur's words or will we see a darker side to Arthur in the coming episodes?

Confusion had been brewing amongst Emmerdale followers when Arthur went MIA from the village earlier on.

The mystery surrounding his departure was clarified by Laurel, who explained: "Arthur's in Australia and there's more than enough room in the inn."

"Gabby, you and Thomas are family you're always welcome. And, to be honest, I could do with another woman in the house.", reports the Mirror.

It's thought that Arthur might have been visiting his grandfather Doug Potts, who previously bid farewell to Emmerdale for a fresh start Down Under in 2020.

Alfie, the young actor behind Arthur, hinted at his return to the beloved soap in a reveal on social media, posting: "Good to be back @emmerdale #emmerdale #backtowork #soapopera #village."

In real life, Alfie is 16. This means he'll have been busy completing his GCSEs this summer, which explains his current absence. Before his Oz trip, Arthur's life in the village had been pretty quiet following the departure of his love interest Marshall Hamston in July 2023.

Will life get more eventful once he's back? And how will he react to Suni's departure and Laurel's decision to dump Jai?

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm