Emmerdale viewers are convinced Cain Dingle faces a dramatic exit – but not due to his cancer diagnosis. Cain (Jeff Hordley) has been a cornerstone of the soap for 26 years, first appearing in 2000. As the village's rebellious heartthrob, he has become a beloved character over the decades, featuring in numerous major plotlines.
From his romance with cousin Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) to his affair and eventual partnership with Moira (Natalie J. Robb), his time in the Dales has been packed with drama. Recently, Cain discovered he had an aggressive but localized prostate cancer following his shooting in the epic Corriedale crossover episode in January. He has since undergone surgery but has battled side effects, including experiencing incontinence in public.
This week, events took a devastating twist when Cain attended the hospital for an appointment. His doctor informed him that she believes his cancer may have spread, despite the successful operation. If the cancer has indeed spread, Cain would require radiotherapy treatment. However, fans now worry that a departure looms for the cherished character, but in a shocking twist, they do not believe it will be cancer that sees him written out.
On an Emmerdale Facebook fan page, audiences speculate that returning character Sadie King (Patsy Kensit) might be involved in his possible exit. "I'm starting to wonder if this Cain storyline is going to be the end for him cos why have it spread. Maybe Jeff wants to finally leave," pondered one viewer. Another speculated: "What if Sadie comes back to kill Cain?" A third chimed in, stating: "I'd like this to happen rather than him die from cancer ngl."
Sadie departed the village in 2006, a couple of years after her first appearance on the soap, having faked her own death. She had joined forces with Cain Dingle to pilfer the Kings' wealth, only for Cain to betray her. Fast forward two decades, and now Sadie will be returning to the village, reuniting with Cain and others. Her former partner Jimmy (Nick Miles) remains in the village, now wedded to Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler). Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 8:00pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
