Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) has hit rock bottom. Out of all the people in Emmerdale, there’s only one person who can help in his hour of need – his father Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell) who died two years ago. Don’t. You’ll set us off…

Every soap has a resident hard man, and Cain could eat them all for breakfast. The stoic Dingle has struck fear into the hearts of his fellow villagers with his trademark glare… or failing that, a good kicking. Even though his bad boy antics have softened in recent years thanks in no small part to his wife Moira Barton (Natalie J Robb), the dangerous Dingle remains a force to be reckon with.

However, every man has his limit. And Cain is about to reach his when his world is shattered by two devastating life-changing events at the same time.

During the dramatic events of Corriedale, Cain took a shotgun blast to the chest courtesy of serial killer John Sugden and was rushed into hospital, where his scans revealed a potentially cancerous mass.

Before Cain could even begin to process the news, there was another horrific development. The police began investigating Moira for people trafficking and modern slavery, because the despicable Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) framed her former business partner for her crimes from beyond the grave.

Believe it or not, things are about to get worse.

In upcoming episodes, Cain is set to receive a devastating blow when Moira is arrested for double murder in front of their children.

Interviewed by the police, Cain remains tight-lipped. But Moira maintains that she was set up by Celia. Then DS Walsh reveals the identity of one of the bodies – Celia herself. Worse still, one of the bodies, Anya, a worker who died on the farm, was shrouded in Moira’s blanket.

The case against Moira looks pretty damning… and she’s distraught to be charged with both Celia and Anya’s murders. In emotional scenes, Cain, Chastity Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) and Caleb Miligan (William Ash) can only watch helplessly as Moira is carted off in a police car.

With his wife behind bars, Cain has to face what’s coming alone. He has an appointment with his consultant Ms Rhode, who delivers the news that will turn his whole world upside down – Cain has aggressive, but localised, prostate cancer.

Overwhelmed by the diagnosis and the potential side effects of the recommended radical prostatectomy, Cain cuts the consultation short and leaves.

Returning to the village in a daze, Cain deals with the diagnosis in textbook Cain fashion; anger, denial and lashing out at anyone who crosses his path. This includes granddaughter Sarah Sugden (Katie Hill) and bezzie mate Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson), who approach with concern only get an earful from Cain about all the pressure he’s under.

Later that day, Cain finds solace in the one person he can talk to. The one person who’s no longer here. His father Zak. Sitting alone at his dad’s graveside, Cain finally crumbles, broken by this diagnosis.

Emmerdale legend Zak Dingle passed away offscreen in 2024 whilst living with Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb). This was following the death of actor Steve Halliwell, who portrayed the popular character for twenty-nine years. The flat-capped patriarch of the Dingle clan was famous for dispensing wisdom to his family, and Cain will doubtlessly be missing his father now more than ever.

Actor Jeff Hordley recently reflected on Cain’s journey navigating his diagnosis on the day he finds out, in an upcoming special episode.

‘Nobody else in the episode knows what’s going on.’ Jeff explains. ‘We see him through the journey of a day, including going to the hospital to get the news from the doctor about what the state of his cancer is, to leaving there and walking back to the village, to working at the garage. It’s just a really lovely episode. You get to see somebody dealing with this, and wanting to work it all out and how they’re going to deal with it.’

Faced with his own mortality, Cain finds himself dealing with an enemy that he can’t punch or threaten. It’s an opportunity for viewers to see a different side of the tortured Dales antihero. Jeff Hoardley lifts the lid on Cain’s first reaction to this life-changing news.

‘I think he’s faced with his own mortality here and he knows this is something that could finish him off. He’s lost his mother to cancer so he’s all too aware of what can happen. With a wife in prison who might end up staying there and then him leaving, who takes the boys? It’s all that kind of thing that’s whizzing through his mind.