ITV Emmerdale fans left ‘sobbing’ over heartbreaking Cain Dingle twist
ITV soap watchers will recall that Cain (Jeff Hordley) sustained gunshot wounds during the Corriedale crossover last month. Subsequently, whilst recovering in hospital, the Dales stalwart discovered that medics had detected something concerning in his test results, prompting them to conduct further investigations through a biopsy.
Just hours after his wife, Moira (Natalie J Robb) was wrongly arrested for the murders of Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) and Anya Berisha (Alia Al-Shabibi), Cain made his way to the hospital to receive his test results.
During Wednesday’s (February 4) instalment, which can now be viewed on ITVX, consultant Ms Rhodes (Lucy Lowe) delivered the heartbreaking news that Cain has aggressive, yet localised, prostate cancer. The medic recommended that Cain consider a radical prostatectomy, whilst outlining the possible side effects.
Stunned by the diagnosis and the thought of an operation, Cain hastily departed the consultation and headed back to the village, grappling with the information he’d just received, reports the Daily Star.
Cain Dingle has been diagnosed with prostate cancer(Image: ITV)
His refusal to accept the situation and subsequent fury led to confrontations with his family members, including his brother Sam (James Hooton) and granddaughter Sarah Sugden (Katie Hill). Cain also opted to decline a telephone call from Moira, who remains in police custody.
Cain hit rock bottom in the Woolpack when his friend and local GP, Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson), enquired about whether he’d got his test results back. He was later found sitting by himself at his late father Zak’s (Steve Halliwell) grave, battling to come to terms with his diagnosis.
Sarah eventually found him there, and Cain finally confided in her about what he was facing.
“I’m not well. After the crash, at the hospital, something showed up on my scans and they wanted to run more tests. I told myself it was nothing, but I was wrong,” he admitted.
Sarah replied: “Listen, you don’t have to go through this on your own. How many times have you told me that? How many times did [Zak] say that? Listen, we’re family, this is not just about you, alright? We’re in this together from now on. You don’t have to keep it inside anymore.”
Cain confided in his granddaughter Sarah Sugden(Image: ITV)
Cain then revealed: “I’ve got cancer. Were you scared? Because I know I am,” before tearfully embracing his granddaughter.
The scenes have struck a chord with ITV viewers, especially as they aired on World Cancer Day. Numerous fans have taken to social media to express their emotional responses, with one person posting on X (formerly Twitter): “I’m a mess… completely broken… tears and snot everywhere… this Cain and cancer story is destroying me.”
Another viewer shared: “Wow. No words. What an episode. Jeff Hordley was absolutely INCREDIBLE. I am sobbing. A very real, raw and honest representation of a cancer diagnosis,” whilst a third commented: “Today’s #Emmerdale episode was devastating, Jeff was amazing. Sobbing already and it’s only the beginning of this storyline.”