ITV Emmerdale: Real life of Cain actor Jeff Hordley with chronic illness, co-star wife and why they don't film together

11.02.2022 - 22:35 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Fans know him as Cain Dingle but Jeff Hordley couldn't be more different from his Emmerdale character.

The actor has appeared on the ITV soap as part of the famous TV family since 2000.

Cain first arrived in the village to attend the funeral of his late cousin Butch.

And in the 22-years he has been on-screen, the Emmerdale hardman has been through it all - from being involved in kidnap and arson to discovering his uncle was his dad and having a child, Debbie, with his cousin Charity.

READ MORE: ITV Emmerdale fans spot new 'little star' as young actors dominate episodes

Life off-screen has, of course, been much different.

Jeff, who was born in Oldham, attended North Chadderton Comprehensive, before he went on to gain a degree in Theatre Arts (Acting) from Manchester Metropolitan University School of Theatre in 1997.

But before finishing up his degree, in 1996, Jeff was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.

The jobing actor at the time had been suffering from stomach cramps and diarrhea for six years when he got the news.

Speaking to the Express, Jeff recalled: "Even though I tried to avoid foods that upset my digestive system, such as coffee and Chinese takeaways, I was still sick and tired and I kept losing weight.

"I was a drama student in Manchester and sometimes I had to miss lectures because I was too tired. I even had to drop out of my final year plays."

After several hospital tests, Jeff was given the news he had somewhat been fearing.

"When I was just nine, my mum had died from the very same illness back in 1979," Jeff added to the publication. "My reaction was, ‘Am I going to die too?'"

However, the then 26-year-old was reassured by doctors that his mother's death had been caused by complications in surgery.

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