Emmerdale fans have pleaded with soap bosses not to let a character leave the show.

In grim scenes that aired on Tuesday evening, Matty Barton was beaten up in prison. As viewers will know, Matty is wrongfully behind bars after being framed for stabbing Samson Dingle.

Until now he has been looked after by his cellmate, Les, and had kept that he is trans a secret from the other prisoners. But when his wife Amy Barton visited him, she met who she thought was Les, and let it slip about Matty being trans.

She had actually told Robbo, a nasty transphobic piece of work, and he quickly set about making Matty’s life hell. Robbo threatened Matty, before being told to back off by Les.

But as Les prepared to be released, a terrified Matty considered his options. He was told by a prison officer that he could be placed in solitary confinement, but that this would mean him mostly being locked up in a cell alone.

Later in the episode, Amy received a phone call and was told Matty had been rushed to hospital. When she and Matty’s mum Moira Dingle arrived at hospital, they were enormously upset to see him battered and bruised.

Viewers likely assumed Robbo had done this to him, but as the episode drew to a close Matty confirmed he had asked Les to do it, hoping he’d be in hospital for weeks and away from the wing. But a gutted Matty said doctors had told him he’d be back in prison in a day or two.

Reacting to the scenes, many fans on X called on Emmerdale bosses to make Les a permanent character. Daisy said: “Any chance we can keep Les as a character I quite like him” and Ryan said: “They should make Les a regular character once Matty comes out of prison. I liked their scenes.”

Bee said: “Les is literally the best character in #Emmerdale at the moment” and Jamie said: “Les is great. Would love him to become a regular if they could make it happen”.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal