Emmerdale viewers have been left delighted after it was announced that Michael Parr is to reprise his role as legendary Emmerdale bad boy Ross Barton six years after leaving the village

Emmerdale fans are convinced that the return of Ross Barton to the village could trigger another character’s comeback.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that actor Michael Parr will be reprising his role as Emmerdale’s notorious bad boy Ross, six years after his departure from the village.

Michael, 38, initially joined the popular ITV soap in 2013, where he gained notoriety for his turbulent relationships with Donna Windsor and Debbie Dingle. His first relationship ended tragically with Donna’s suicide, when she and criminal Gary North fell off a car park roof. Ross was left utterly heartbroken by her death.

After this tragic event, Ross embarked in an affair with Debbie Dingle, who was engaged to his brother Pete at the time. However, in typical soap opera fashion, this relationship ended when it was disclosed that Ross had a one-night stand with Debbie’s mother, Charity, resulting in the birth of baby Moses, reports Leeds Live.

Aside from his romantic entanglements, Ross was also embroiled in numerous explosive plots, including a plan to murder his brother Pete. However, he is most remembered for the poignant storyline in which he struggled with depression while recovering from a horrific acid attack in a case of mistaken identity.

In 2018, Ross left the village with Rebecca White and her son Sebastian to start a new life in Liverpool. Despite being off-screen, Ross has been a topic of conversation in the village due to his son Moses with Charity. Fans of the soap can now look forward to his return later this year. It’s been hinted that his arrival might reopen old wounds and spark fresh conflicts.

After the announcement, actor Michael took to Twitter, now X, expressing his excitement with: “Hi Twits, it’s been a while. Can’t believe it’s been six years since I was last on set in the Dales. Very excited to be back. Do you think Ross will be a good boy or do you think he’s here to cause trouble? Let me know in the comments.”

One fan replied, hinting at the possibility of Emily Head’s character Rebecca also making a comeback: “Will Ross still be with Rebecca or has he dumped her because that will tell us a lot about whether going to be good or not” to which Michael playfully responded without giving anything away: “I wish I could reveal all but I’d be fired before I even started if I did. :).”

The fan theories didn’t stop there, with one follower hoping for a dramatic twist: “Back to destroy Mack and Charity is my hope.” Others predicted a blend of mischief and romance for Ross, with suggestions of potential love interests: “I think a little bit of bad boy mixed in with good guy and definitely a romance will be on the cards. Could it be Tracy or Victoria?” Meanwhile, another fan predicted: “Can see some love interests for him but gotta be trouble.”

It comes as Michael expressed his excitement about reprising his role in Emmerdale, saying: “I’m over the moon to be returning to Emmerdale. Ross is a character I’m extremely fond of and I’m excited to explore what he’s been up to over the past five years. After seeing the scripts, I can’t wait for the audience to see what’s in store. One thing I can say is Ross’ return will no doubt create fireworks.”

Emmerdale producer, Laura Shaw, also commented on his return: “We are delighted to have Michael back at Team Emmerdale, playing the unforgettable and charismatic bad boy Ross Barton once again. Ross makes a huge impact from the first moment he arrives back on screen, immediately throwing some of our villagers’ lives into disarray. Chaotic, wild and reckless, Ross is absolutely going to shake up the village and prove it’s never quiet with a Barton boy back in town.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.