Emmerdale's Robert Sugden: The return you didn't see coming

Soap fans were gobsmacked as Robert Sugden, played by Ryan Hawley, made a dramatic comeback to the Dales on Wednesday evening, shocking viewers as Aaron Dingle was getting ready to say 'I do'. Actor Ryan Hawley reflected on his return to Emmerdale, saying: "Rejoining the cast of Emmerdale feels fantastic. I've been having so much fun being back here - oddly, more fun than I thought it was going to be, in a good way. We've been filming some great stuff, there's a lot more to Robert's return than just the value of opening the door. I've been having so much fun, everyone's been lovely, and there are a lot of familiar faces and loads of really positive energy about the place. There's lots of drama, lots of conflict. There's the dilemma for Aaron and John and also his return affects so many other people in the village." Clues Revealed Hints about Robert's re-entry had been sprinkled around for keen-eyed viewers, but here's the rundown of the clues you might have overlooked. In talks about Robert's potential return, Danny Miller, known for playing Aaron, previously expressed his desire to have his on-screen partner back, acknowledging Ryan's outstanding acting and their characters' intertwined storylines. "For me, as an actor, Ryan coming back as Robert would be great but I know he's got a young family himself, and he's off doing bits and bobs himself, so maybe one day we'll be able to tempt him back. But not anything imminent," Danny commented a while ago, reports the Mirror. Surprises Await Yesterday on Loose Women, Danny was queried about the return of Robert, to which he humorously replied: "It's so weird, the line's just gone down as you've asked that question." When John rocked up in the village, supporters feared it spelled the end for beloved duo Robron. Yet, it didn't take long before John formed a close bond with Aaron, culminating in their romantic link-up. Fan Favorites Danny isn't the only one urging for Robert's return. Emmerdale's Mike Parr (Ross Barton) also voiced his hopes to see Ryan grace the show again, stating: "It has to be Robert, doesn't it? He is a fan favourite." Emmerdale went to great lengths to keep Robert's return under wraps, even using special codenames. "Yes, we have been really trying to keep the fact I'm back under wraps for the viewers. I was given a code name of 'Marco'. In fact, I think everyone's sick of hearing the name Marco. I've been using a secret entrance to get into the building, and I've had a driver picking me up from my house and driving me to Emmerdale," he revealed.