Emmerdale fans are not ready to say goodbye to Monty Dingle, the beloved family dog, who will soon leave the Dales after a heartbreaking cancer diagnosis. The ITV soap has seen many characters depart in recent years, including Leyla Harding, Amy Wyatt, Suzy Merton and Will Taylor, but Monty's impending exit has struck a chord with viewers.
Monty's story in Emmerdale
Monty made his first on-screen appearance in 2018 as a companion for the late Zak Dingle, following the passing of the family's previous Irish Wolfhound, Alfie. In recent episodes, Monty was trapped in a shed set alight by Kyle, and Cain Dingle rescued him. After taking him to the vets, the Dingles learned there was a more serious issue.
Paddy Kirk called round and confirmed that Monty had a metastatic tumour, explaining why his recovery from smoke inhalation was taking longer. Cain asked Paddy for advice, and the vet replied he would choose to 'give him longer'. 'Give him more cuddles, more love,' Paddy said. Cain then told his dog: 'Looks like you and me have got a big decision to make.'
Cain's own cancer battle
As Cain handed Monty treats and cuddled him, he said: 'If there was anything I could do to make things better for you, you know I would, don't you? I would, you know, in a heartbeat.' This led Cain to reflect on his own cancer diagnosis, and after confirming Monty will go into palliative care, Cain hinted at reconsidering radiotherapy for himself.
Cain first learned of his diagnosis after being shot in the Corriedale crossover. He has faced a difficult journey, worrying about side effects of surgery and radiotherapy. Earlier this week, Cain sought a second opinion on Monty's condition, but the vet confirmed the tumour had spread and chemotherapy would not help.
Fan reactions
Cain prepared himself for Monty's inevitable death, and viewers expressed their devastation. On X, @ryansoapking25 wrote: 'Not ready for the moment Monty dies it'll be heartbreaking' while @lornawatts added: 'I’m not ready to say goodbye to Monty'.
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX and YouTube from 7am.
