Emmerdale’s Jeff Hordley takes brutal swipe at Cain Dingle – revealing big change to character after returning to soap

JEFF Hordley took a massive swipe at his on-screen alter ego Cain Dingle on This Morning.

The Emmerdale actor opened up to Rochelle Humes and Phillip Schofield about his first few years in the Dales and admitted he thought the character was “two dimensional”.

In 2006, after spending six years in the Yorkshire-based soap, Jeff Hordley announced he would be leaving the eponymous village to pursue other projects.

The door was left open for the actor to return and, three years after his exit, Cain Dingle was back in the Dales to wreak more havoc.

However, on Thursday’s episode of ITV‘s This Morning, Jeff explained what really pushed him to pack up and leave the program behind for several years.

He did so while reflecting on his career – which spans more than two decades – and without forgetting Cain’s newest storyline.

“One of the best things about watching you is that when you started all those years ago, I think for the first six years, you would admit that [Cain] was not very layered”, Phillip first said.

Jeff agreed and added: “He was a grumpy guy who lived at the top with the Dingles and he was not integrated into the village.”

He then admitted that it wasn’t until he had left Emmerdale that his character “became a little bit more likeable” after being more involved in life in the Dales.

“Then I left the show, came back after three years and they began to integrate him and he became a little bit more likeable.”

He went on: “But his DNA had not changed.”

“He was a bit two dimensional, almost one dimensional.”

Jeff then took the time to talk about Emmerdale’s 50th anniversary, letting Cain’s fate slip following Wednesday’s dramatic car crash.

The soap legend admitted that bosses were remaining tight-lipped about their plans for the show’s big day in October, 2022.

“It’s being kept close to the chest of the producers”, Jeff said.

Phillip responded with: “Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw confirmed something big would happen that would change the dynamic between Cain and Al [Chapman] forever.”

But what could it be?

Both characters have had an ongoing feud but Cain is also ready to cut all ties with his mother Faith following her moment of passion with Dan Spencer (with whom Cain is also likely to be at loggerheads).

Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV.