ITV Emmerdale's Cain Dingle star Jeff Hordley's unrecognisable Coronation Street role

Jeff Hordley playing Cain Dingle in Emmerdale
-Credit: (Image: ITV)


Emmerdale fans were left speechless after a throwback photo of Jeff Hordley in Coronation Street surfaced online. Well-known for his long-standing role as Cain Dingle on ITV's Emmerdale since 2000, Jeff actually had two stints on Corrie prior to settling into village life as a nightclub manager in May 1997 and then as a character called Wayne in November 1998.

The revealed snap from his first appearance in 1997 has been doing the rounds on Reddit, causing quite a stir among soap enthusiasts who had no idea about Jeff's time on the cobbles.

Sporting a grey turtleneck and matching blazer, the picture shows a young Jeff with Johnny Briggs character Mike Baldwin, set against the backdrop of the nightclubs office.

Surprised fans took to Reddit to share their thoughts. One user commented: "Well, I didn't know that! Wasn't watching either Corrie or Emmerdale then. That's a very good photo of Jeff Hordley."

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A second was bewildered: "I was watching Corrie then, but I have no recollection at all that JH was in it."

Observations on how little he has changed were made by a third fan, while another reflected: "Cain Dingle from Emmerdale. I believe this was around in mid or late 1990s before he went to Emmerdale and also he was a music teacher too."

Jeff's tenure in Emmerdale hasn't been continuous; after joining in 2000, he departed six years later to explore other opportunities, only to make a return in 2009. Since then, he's been a consistent face in the Yorkshire-based drama, reports the Mirror.

Over the years, Cain has been at the heart of some major storylines, particularly as the Dingles are always embroiled in the village's drama. His narratives include finding out his 'uncle' Zak is actually his father, learning he is Debbie's father, his relationship with cousin Charity Dingle and being assaulted in a whodunnit plot twist.

At present, Cain's marriage to Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) has been the focus of the soap, as the pair struggle to get along. Moira has been behaving erratically for weeks, leaving Cain concerned but also increasingly frustrated as she hasn't sought medical help.

Moira has since discovered she has a brain tumour, which has been causing her seizures and her unusual behaviour. Doctors disclosed it was inside her skull and near the left temporal lobe, and that surgery would be required to remove it.

She was informed the type of tumour was typically non-malignant, and that it was likely not to be cancerous.