Cain Dingle has done the unthinkable and left Emmerdale.
The village patriarch shocked fans last night (Wednesday 17 October) when he abandoned his daughter Debbie Dingle, who is currently in prison and grieving her missing fiancé Joe Tate.
Wracked with guilt about ‘killing’ Joe, Cain walked away from wife Moira and the rest of his family when they need him the most…
Read more: Emmerdale SPOILER: Tragedy for Daz
In dramatic scenes that aired last week during Kim Tate’s return, Cain threw a punch at Joe as punishment for jilting Debbie at the altar – little realising it was all the doing of hateful Kim and henchman Graham Foster.
However, Cain hit Joe so hard, he fell to the ground and bashed his handsome little head on a rock – leaving him lifeless.
Read more: Emmerdale SPOILER: Double departure shock for the village?
Viewers know that Cain hadn’t actually killed Joe and that dastardly Graham finished the job off himself by apparently throwing Joe’s twitching body over the Hotton viaduct.
But Cain believes he is responsible, thanks to Graham – boo, hiss (but we still kinda love him).
Ever since the fateful scenes, Cain has been struggling with his dark secret.
As Cain grapples with the enormity of what he thinks he’s done, Moira has been increasingly concerned for her other half’s state of mind.
Shocked that he’s been uninterested in helping to get Debbie out of prison or visiting granddaughter Sarah Sugden in hospital following her life-saving heart transplant, Moira tried to get him to open up.
But believing he’s massively let the family down and fearing they’d see him “for who I really am”, the mechanic was seen at the end of the episode leaving a note for Moira.
It read: “Got to go away for a while, clear my head, sorry.”
Cain was last seen walking away with a packed bag – but has he really abandoned his family?
And could he even consider missing the funeral of his niece, baby Grace, next week?
Fans cried out in frustration at the scenes, with some claiming he was wrong to leave and others simply devastated for him.
One fan tweeted: “Wow Cain actually just left his family while Debbie in prison, Sarah in Hospital and Chas dealing with the loss of Grace. I not surprised if his family hate him after this. What selfish behaviour.”
Another cried: “Cain TALK TO MOIRA!!! But no, instead he continues to keep it all instead and decides he needs a break from the village. As Moira said, he helped her why isn’t he willing to reciprocate that return? Hopefully he’ll be clear of mind enough when he returns to come clean.”
Cain TALK TO MOIRA!!! But no, instead he continues to keep it all instead and decides he needs a break from the village. As Moira said, he helped her why isn’t he willing to reciprocate that return? Hopefully he’ll be clear of mind enough when he returns to come clean. #Emmerdale
— Bobbie 🐦🐦 (@Bobbie_robron) October 17, 2018
Wow Cain actually just left his family while Debbie in prison, Sarah in Hospital and Chas dealing with the loss of Grace. I not surprised if his family hate him after this. What selfish behaviour #Emmerdale #CainDingle
— Natasha ♒️ (@natashate1983) October 17, 2018
Other fans were more sympathetic for the anti-hero, with one writing: “Don’t like seeing Cain like this!”
Another said: “Aww no Cain you need to stay and let Moira help you.”
Many more said they wanted to see Cain back in the Dales as soon as possible, protecting his family like he usually does.
Aww no Cain you need to stay and let Moira help you 😭😭💔 #emmerdale
— Connie (@Connie_NJR_LG) October 17, 2018
Don't like seeing Cain like this!
— Janette Hall86 (@JanetteHall) October 17, 2018
Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain, recently told Metro.co.uk: “The great thing about this particular story for me is that, believe it or not, he’s never murdered anybody, so this is totally new ground.
“I think they’re setting up Cain and Graham to circle on another. They’re similar beasts really, so I think that would be a great story.
“But who would come out of that one alive, I don’t know.”
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