EMMERDALE’S big return for Robert Sugden failed to impress fans – with ratings DROPPING from the previous night.

The ITV soap’s big comeback for actor Ryan Hawley six years was hoped to bring in a major ratings boost for the cash-strapped channel.

However that failed to materialise with his return actually seeing viewers switch off.

In fact the episode broadcast the evening before his comeback pulled in just over 3.1m viewers.

By Wednesday, the day of Robert’s big return – and despite ITV axing the episode from its streaming service ITVX in an effort to get people to watch the TV broadcast – just over 3m tuned in with the show losing viewers.

Worst still – the next night that continued Robert’s return saw a further 600,000 viewers switch off.

In contrast the first edition after Robert was returned to prison, the following Monday’s episode rebounded to 3.1m.

A source said: “It’s not ideal for such a big moment to not pull in the numbers.

“Bosses expected a great deal of excitement from fans about Robert’s return but it doesn’t seem to have transferred into actual ratings.

“The so-called Robron coupling was seen as a previous heyday for the show to tap into – but the reality appears to be quite different.

“With all the cuts ITV is having to make, people will be wondering if his return is worth it.”

Actor Ryan, who quit the show in 2019, recently revealed he had been struggling for work during his six year absence from the show.

It even led him to move to Brazil with his wife Daisy Prestes de Oliveira and their children for a life away from the spotlight.

“I’ve got to do things like All Creatures Great and Small, Miss Scarlet, Casualty and Silent Witness,” he told the Mirror.