The following article contains spoilers from an episode of Emmerdale that hasn’t aired on ITV1 yet, but can be viewed on ITVX.

A much loved Emmerdale character is back on our screens in the latest episode, after being absent for three months.

Billy Fletcher, played by Jay Kontzle, was last seen in June. The resident is still adapting to life on his own, following the breakdown in his marriage to Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley).

Billy is Clemmie and Lucas’ adopted father. He also shares a young son with Dawn called Evan.

After Billy discovered Dawn’s affair with Joe Tate (Ned Porteous), he was forced to wait as she decided which man she wanted to be with.

She ultimately chose Joe over the father of her children, leaving Billy devastated. He moved out of Home Farm, and is now co-parenting Lucas, Clemmie and Evan with Dawn.

‘I think, especially from a viewers point of view, it’s nice to have a really good bond within the show, a really good family unit’, Jay Kontzle said earlier this year while discussing the end of Dawn and Billy’s relationship.

‘Over the years, there has been really nice moments and that will be missed, it feels like a huge sacrifice for what’s to come. Joe’s come in as a nasty character, Dawn’s fallen into that, which isn’t what she was about. It’s a shame that’s been lost. I think that’s part and parcel of soap though!

He added: ‘Given Dawn’s history, it’s one of those things. It’s a personality trait that’ll always be in her. They were a happy family but something was missing, the taboo that you want, that was something Dawn needs.

‘From a viewers perspective, I think it is quite sad it hasn’t lasted. We started around the same time, we’ve got so used to working with each other, it will be interesting. Storyline wise, I think it does work. It’s interesting for the Tate family and it opens up new avenues too.’

His returning scenes in tonight’s episode, available now on ITVX, will see him chat to Dawn after receiving the news that Lucas has been in a fight with Carl, Nicola King’s (Nicola Wheeler) son, at school.

Billy decides that he should talk to Lucas but when he refuses to say anything, Joe steps in and has a go himself, which annoys Billy.

Neither of the men can get Lucas to talk though, so Dawn takes charge. She sends Billy and Joe away, and tells Lucas that they will be going to see Nicola so he can apologise to Carl.

When they arrive though, Lucas refuses to say sorry, and even goes as far as saying he doesn’t regret his actions.

It’s later revealed that Lucas’ fight might be linked to the fact Carl has been forwarding an indecent image of Clemmie to other people in their school.

Billy will continue to be at the centre of village drama over the next few days. Up at the depot, Jai Sharma (Chris Bisson) tells Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) that Billy will be accompanying him on a trip to Hull.

It leaves Dylan fearful, as he wonders how he’ll be able to carry out Ray Walters’ (Joe Absolom) latest job with Billy around.

Ray was introduced to us earlier this year. Up until a few days ago, victims Dylan and April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) were under the impression that Ray was largely in charge of the drug ring.

However, the youngsters now know that Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) is the boss of the entire operation.

The instalment that saw her identity revealed also saw viewers discover that she adopted Ray after finding him on the streets when he was younger.

Jay Kontzle has played Billy Fletcher since 2018. Away from life in the soap, the star is married to wife Mimi and together, they share three children.