Kev Townsend has successfully fooled the entire Emmerdale cast — from doctors to exes, from friends to strangers — with his “deadly heart disease” story.

A major twist from the new episodes confirms: Kev is not dead at all, and in fact, his condition is good enough to keep him alive for decades.

So why did he make up that heartbreaking story?

According to Digital Spy, Kev used Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle’s panic attacks to gain sympathy, paving the way to get back into his old relationship with Aaron.

Kev always saw Aaron as the only person who understood him — and so, he made up a “heart disease” to draw Aaron to him. The truth is that he only had a mild problem, but he disguised it as a terminal illness, making everyone feel sorry for him.

When Liam — the doctor — discovers that Kev has lied, Robert is so angry that he wants to destroy everything. Aaron is shocked, hurt, and feels used. The two begin to suspect that Kev has a deeper motive: using the disease to force Aaron away from Robert, creating a rift in their relationship.

But Kev doesn’t stop there. He also contacts a mysterious person — possibly an accomplice, possibly someone who knows the secret of his past. This makes Robert believe that Kev is not only manipulating emotions, but is hiding a great sin.

The next drama is predicted to be: Robert and Aaron team up to completely expose Kev — but Kev is no pushover. Once he loses his position, he can drag them both down with him.