Updated: Freeman 'unlikely to return' to 'Emmerdale'

A tabloid newspaper today claimed that Emmerdale producers have no plans to invite Ben Freeman back to the soap.

The actor, who played mechanic Scott Windsor for nine years, was dropped from the ITV1 show in 2007 after being charged with rape in Barbados. He was finally cleared of any wrongdoing after facing trial in October last year.

In an interview this week, Freeman claimed that he was likely to make a comeback to the programme. However, an insider told the Sunday Mirror: "Storylines are already in place until the summer and there is no mention of Scott Windsor. If I was a betting man I would not put money on the likelihood of Ben coming back."

A representative for Freeman commented: "I am bemused. We were led to believe the door was still open."

Despite today's newspaper report attributing the comment that there were "absolutely no plans" for Freeman to make a comeback, a spokeswoman for the Yorkshire-based soap this afternoon insisted to DS: "There are still no current plans for Ben to return."

Freeman met with the show's chiefs in November to discuss a possible return. Two weeks ago, a spokesperson said that a comeback for the actor had not been ruled out for the future.