Soap legend swaps Woolpack drama for dancefloor beats—and fans can’t believe their eyes
“Cain Dingle on the 1’s and 2’s!”
Partygoers at a bustling Manchester bar were left speechless this weekend when they realized the man behind the DJ booth wasn’t just any local spinner—but none other than Emmerdale star Jeff Hordley, aka Cain Dingle.
The moment was captured in a now-viral TikTok video shared by user @mattslifeandtravels, showing Hordley in a khaki shirt and glasses, coolly bobbing his head while working the decks at The Garden Bar in Chorlton.
Over the footage, the caption read:
“Cain Dingle on the 1’s and 2’s.”
Within hours, fans flooded the comments in disbelief.
Social Media Reacts: “No Way, That’s Cain!”
Viewers couldn’t get over the unexpected crossover of soap stardom and nightlife.
“Omg no way,” one wrote.
“The man’s a legend – my role model,” gushed another.
“A true icon,” said a third, while someone else chimed in: “Didn’t know this—quality!”
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Not Just a Side Hustle
But this isn’t some gimmick. Jeff Hordley has been DJing for years, long before his Emmerdale fame. In a previous appearance on the Another Day Another Collar podcast, the 55-year-old actor opened up about his dual career.
“DJing was my saviour when I was a young actor,” he said.
“It helped me avoid signing on. I earned decent money playing sets at a Manchester club called the Rock ‘N’ Roll Bar.”
Even now, Jeff juggles both worlds with ease—managing Emmerdale’s intense filming schedule with his love for music.
“People assume I do it because I’m an actor and it’s for show. But no—I’ve been into music all my life. I’ve always done this.”
A Legendary Career On and Off the Screen
Jeff was first cast as bad boy Cain Dingle in 2000. After leaving in 2006 to explore other projects, he returned in 2009—and has since become one of the soap’s most iconic characters.
Off screen, he’s married to Emmerdale co-star Zoe Henry (Rhona Goskirk), whom he met in drama school in the ’90s. The couple, who share two children and a love of the quiet life, rarely appear in scenes together, which Zoe says helps balance their personal and professional lives.
“We have two kids, dogs, and an allotment,” Zoe said during a Lorraine interview.
“Jeff and I just pass the baton back and forth when work gets busy.”