Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) is left devastated in upcoming Emmerdale episodes as he receives the shocking news about his father, Zak Dingle, in what promises to be an emotional and unforgettable storyline.
In an interview, Jeff Hordley revealed how Cain learns the heartbreaking news at the worst possible moment. “I think he’s at home when Moira gets a call,” he explained. “He’s just about to get on with his day when she imparts the news to him. It comes as a bit of a bolt from the blue, especially seeing as he’s just come back from Scotland that morning.”
Zak had reassured Cain he would be fine after promising to rest, but the suddenness of his death leaves Cain reeling. “It’s like seeing someone in the morning, and then in the afternoon they’re gone,” Jeff added. “He’s trying to process it.”
Despite the tragedy, Cain finds some solace in the fact he recently saw his dad. “It will have been a huge comfort, especially when it’s a sudden death,” Hordley noted.
However, the burden of breaking the news to the rest of the Dingle family falls on Cain, leading to emotional scenes. “The way they’ve written it, there were little moments where I had to go to various members of the Dingle family,” he said. “Nobody was expecting it.”
A touching episode will follow, focusing on Cain, Sam, and Belle as they stay up through the night reflecting on Zak’s life. “It reminded me a lot of the lockdown two-hander episodes,” Jeff shared. “It’s a bit like doing a play, it’s quite intense.”
As the Dingles prepare for Zak’s funeral, Cain and Sam travel to Scotland to bring their father home. “The funeral has got Dingles written all over it,” Hordley teased. “If you could say shotgun wedding or shotgun funeral, you’d get a picture of what it’s like.”
While filming the emotional scenes, the cast made sure to honour Steve Halliwell, who plays Zak. “Off camera, we made sure we had some laughs as well,” Hordley said. “Steve would have enjoyed that – he always liked to have a giggle behind the camera.”
There’s also a mysterious twist on the horizon, with a long-lost relative turning up at the graveside. Jeff hinted, “It’s someone you might know, and they’re not going to make things go smoothly for the Dingles.”
Meanwhile, Moira receives news about a crucial operation slot, but keeps it to herself to avoid adding to Cain’s stress. “She knows Cain’s got so much on his plate with the funeral,” Jeff revealed. “But if Cain knew, he’d be really cross!”
For Jeff, playing a member of the iconic Dingle family remains a source of pride. “I’m part of this amazing family that’s part of the Emmerdale fabric,” he reflected. “I’m very thankful to be a Dingle.”
Stay tuned for these emotional and dramatic episodes as the Dingles face their toughest challenge yet.
Emmerdale air these scenes from Monday 14th October on ITV1
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