Emmerdale's Jeff Hordley opens up about taking a break from ITV soap as Cain Dingle

dailystar.co.uk:

Emmerdale actor Jeff Hordley has revealed why he had a break from the ITV soap.Jeff played the Dales hard-man Cain Dingle for more than two decades after making his debut appearance in 2000.The actor, 61, first exited the soap in 2006 but made his comeback as Cain in 2009.After six years of playing Cain the actor decided it was time to spread his wings and try other roles.Explaining why he took time out from the role, he spoke on the Ego Podcast with host Mik Artistik.He said: "I think I just got to a point where I wanted a [change] because I'd only been four years out of drama school so I kind of thought I had not quite ticked all the boxes I wanted to."I wanted to work in London and things like that and I left wanting to fulfil those things."During those three years out of it, I kind of managed to do that."After just three years away from his Cain role, Jeff returned in 2009 and has been fan favourite ever since.

Jeff later revealed he never imagined his Emmerdale character Cain would become so infamous. He admitted: "I never really thought about whether [Cain] would turn into the part he's turned into. "Jeff also revealed that his initial Emmerdale contract was for just three months, but that he was later offered a year's contract before becoming a soap regular.The actor added that he was able to pursue other acting roles during his time away from the soap.During his Emmerdale absence, he starred in a production of Mother Goose at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley.In 2008 he played Napoleon in the George Orwell's Animal Farm at Leeds' West Yorkshire Playhouse.The following year, he portrayed Mick in the play The Caretaker.Jeff married his Emmerdale co-star Zoe Henry in 2003 and the pair share two children together -.