With a vast array of characters, it can sometimes be difficult to remember who plays who in Emmerdale. And for the ones who aren’t on screen as often as some of their counterparts, it makes it an even bigger challenge.

One of the lesser-spotted figures is Archie Breckle, the son of Jai Sharma and Rachel Breckle. Despite being a permanent figure in the village, the youngster is rarely seen on-screen in the ITV soap.

In November, he was seen for the first time that year as he became involved in a storyline regarding his father. Since then, things have been very quiet again, but Archie was featured in Thursday’s (5 March) episode.

During the instalment, Archie headed to his father’s office, only to find Kerry Pollard in there. Kerry and Jai have been having some flirtatious banter in recent weeks, and she almost got herself in a spot of bother as she initially mistook Archie for Jai.

She subsequently helped the youngster with his maths homework, before she carried on “fooling around” with Jai. But it was the rare appearance of Archie that got fans talking, so who portrays him?

Who plays Archie Breckle on Emmerdale?

Kai Assi has played Archie since 2019, with the seven-year stint being a sizable one in his fledgling career. Naturally, his appearance has changed drastically over the years, and he currently has a longer hairstyle than before.

Is Kai Assi the only person to play Archie Breckle on Emmerdale?

No, he isn’t! As mentioned before, Assi debuted as Archie in 2019, which began a new chapter for the character after an absence of four years up to that point. He returned to the village following his mother’s tragic death, and has lived with various people since.

Prior to the character’s reintroduction in the soap, Archie was played in his infancy by both Aadam Wahab Shahzad and Liyana Shahz. The pair alternated in scenes beginning in 2012, before they exited in 2015.

What have Emmerdale fans said about Archie Breckle?

As the character doesn’t get much screen time, many were surprised by his appearance on Thursday, with one viewer writing on X: “Archie sprouting up. Suppose it’s not surprising as they keep him planted & only let him out for the odd appearance.”

“When did Archie turn into Salvador Dali? Last time I looked he was 7 or 8, now he’s got long hair and a tache!” wrote another viewer, while a third noted: “Archie is completely unrecognisable, especially with the long hair!”

Gemma Oaten, who played Archie’s mother Rachel between 2011 and 2015, made a post following his latest appearance, writing: “Awww ta! Yes that’s me. He’s still got my bum chin.”