Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) has not had a great start to 2026 in Emmerdale.
First, he and his wife Moira Barton (Natalie Robb) were caught up in a fiery multi-car pileup during the events of Corriedale. Then he was shot during a showdown with John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), the sociopathic serial killer who murdered his son Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter).
To make matters even worse, Moira’s about to become under fire following the death of evil people trafficker Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths), because the police are having a hard time believing that she had no idea that her business partner and friend was running a modern slavery ring right under her nose. With all that on his plate, the last thing Cain needs is more bad news…
… But this is Soapland. Bad news comes in bulk.
After the crash, when Cain was being treated for his injuries, in Hotten General, the doctor discovered a sizeable mass growing inside him which could be cancerous.
Today’s episode sees the Dales’ resident hard man attempting to push the potentially life-changing diagnosis to the back of mind, instead choosing to focus on the mess Moira’s in thanks to Celia’s crimes.
But once he’s alone, the full reality of the situation sets in as Cain looks genuinely shaken by the news. The toughest bloke this side of Hotten finds himself unburdening (as much as Cain ever unburdens) to the closest thing he’s got to a BFF – Dr Liam Cavanagh.
The mild-mannered GP seems like a pretty unlikely ally for a man with a record for Grievous Bodily Harm longer than his family tree. But these two have supported each other through tough times, particularly during Cain’s grief over his son Nate’s death, during which he began drinking copiously to cope with the pain.
With a dose of tough love and honesty, Liam supported Cain through his downward spiral and confiding his own prostate cancer scare, forging an unbreakable bond of friendship.
Now Liam is there in Cain’s hour of need once again when he pays him a visit in hospital. He starts like any good friend would – by making fun of Cain’s injuries. “The biggest shock in all this madness is that somehow, you managed to get this far in life before anybody shot you.”
Okay. Maybe Liam’s one-hundred percent supportive. Then they get into an heart-to-heart about how Cain ‘jiggered up’ his prostate’ (Liam’s exact words. You can tell Liam’s a doctor). Trying to look on the bright side, Liam reckons that even if the biopsy comes back with bad news, it will be very early stages, given that his PSA was negative.
But Cain reveals that he’s only had the Braca 2 test. Liam regrets that the test doesn’t rule everything out. Letting his guard down, Cain wonders if Liam is going to give him a lecture like always. But Liam doesn’t lecture.
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In emotional scenes, Liam pledges his full support behind Cain without sugar-coating his situation. “I am not going to tell you that you’re going to be all right, because I don’t know for sure that you will be. What I am going to do, whatever the next few months bring, I will be your shadow. Every step of the way. So… sorry about that. I’m sure it will be a pain.”
Cain responds with the closest thing to a hug he’s capable of. “It’s all right.” He grunts. “I can take it.”
Producer of Emmerdale, Laura Shaw, recently revealed that Cain Dingle will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in a major new story for 2026.
‘The Dingle family are set to face huge repercussions and Cain is at the centre of a major prostate cancer storyline spanning across 2026′, she said.
‘Adding to their devastation, Moira will be arrested for human trafficking, with her arrest timed to coincide with her husband’s diagnosis. Their complex marriage will be tested as they face dark times.’
