Emmerdale newcomer Will Ash will soon be playing Cain Dingle’s estranged brother but in real life he’s the best of friends with soap legend Jeff Hordley.
Viewers will see lots of drama between Cain and brother Caleb Milligan over the festive period’s storylines. The two will be seen meeting when Caleb visits Cain in prison with the latter still behind bars accused of killing Al Chapman.
Jeff, 52, has spoken honestly about having a little apprehension about the new addition but he was then delighted to discover who would be portraying the character. Speaking at an Emmerdale press event, Jeff explained: “Initially, I thought they are bringing in a younger Dingle. I thought, are they trying to replace me? You always get a little protective of your character when you hear they are bringing in a similar character.
Read more: Jeff Hordley to be replaced as Cain Dingle in special episode
“Then when I heard it was Will I was like ‘this is great’ and it is the best thing which could have happened. It feels like Caleb has been here for a long time. The character is written so well and he’s got a charm which WIll brings across really beautifully.”
The acting talents both attended the same school and in their younger years had an inspiring teacher who helped them pursue their chosen career path. Jeff said: “It goes back to our school days (the friendship between Jeff and Will). We did a play at school and did other stuff professionally. We both went to the same school, North Chadderton in Oldham, and had an inspirational drama teacher who not only inspired us but the likes of Nicola Stephenson, Jonas Armstrong and Jenna Louise Coleman.”
Asked if the pair were in the same class, Jeff joked: “No! I’m a lot older. I was in the generation above. We did (play) Another Country and I was one of the sixth formers and you (turning to Will) was one of the kids bringing us all tea.”
Will, 45, replied: “For me, when I was that age, coming in seeing those people taking acting really seriously. Seeing them all being really meticulous and talking about character was one of the reasons why I ended up going into the profession - I found it quite inspiring.”
Will described joining Emmerdale to work with Jeff as ‘a massive draw’ while also being intrigued by the character of Caleb. Joining the Dingle clan could be quite an intimidating experience for some but, not Will, it is something he’s relishing.
He said: “I was excited about it as there’s a wealth of diverse characters there. They are a big family in the eyes of people who watch Emmerdale. I wasn’t intimidated about joining it as that’s your job as an actor.”
The newcomer has also previously worked with Dingle acting stars Lisa Riley and Lucy Pargeter. Will added: “It was probably less daunting knowing those people.”
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The actor, who comes from Chadderton, said he’s looking forward to what the future holds for Caleb and the Dingle clan. He said: “Yeah, it has been great. I’m getting used to the pace of it. It is a lot quicker and a lot more relentless and intense than some other jobs I’ve done but I’m enjoying it. The scripts have been brilliant, the character is great and working with fantastic actors.”
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