Emmerdale is currently running a hard-hitting storyline centred on beloved soap character Cain Dingle.

In recent episodes, Cain has received a diagnosis of aggressive yet localised prostate cancer and is preparing to face surgery, something he is finding deeply difficult to come to terms with.

Speaking about the significant storyline at a recent Emmerdale press event, attended by the Daily Express among others, Jeff Hordley revealed that the plot had inspired him to undergo a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test in real life.

Jeff, 56, said: "I think it's about us seeing through someone going through the journey of waiting, the 'what ifs?' over the side effects of surgery, and the things that men have to go through in these situations.

"You know and getting yourself tested. I'm 56 and I've been for a PSA test already because of this storyline. There's other people in the company of a similar age to me who've gone, 'I'm going to the doctors to get a PSA test'."

"And that's kind of what we want, really. If this can get 50 people, 10 people, 5 people to go to the doctors and find out. Because it's an illness where you don't know and sometimes it's symptom free, then that will be a job well done."

Discussing the experience of filming the hard-hitting scenes, Jeff remarked: "It's been a challenge. A brilliant challenge. But the one thing that's so interesting to explore... because the guy is really having to face something that he's never faced before, so therefore his guard is down on a lot of things. He's unknowingly tapping into emotions that I don't think he knew he had.

"I think this is why they probably chose the character for this storyline. He's the classic man who doesn't say anything. He doesn't tell people. So by having this illness, this is what we're exploring and finding out with the character, so it's really interesting.

"But the workload has been the biggest challenge. Just because of the way we're telling stories now is very different. Since December it's been the most... it's just a massive roller coaster."

Jeff went on to say: "Since the beginning of December, I've been fully immersed in this. I kind of said to Zoe [Henry, who plays Rhona Goskirk and has been married to Jeff since 2003] this morning, 'Have I been THAT busy?' She said 'yeah!'

"It's just like, weekends, days off - because we get a second Friday off now - it's just I've got to work every day. So it's been a real challenge. It's starting to peter off a little bit now and get to what a normal schedule is.

"But the bottom line is, it's been great and I've got the best wing lady. Sometimes it's like 'how do you eat an elephant? one bite at a time'. But when you've got someone like Natalie [Robb, who plays Cain's wife Moira Dingle] next to you, it's a breeze and we really have an understanding.

"Sometimes I've been coming into work thinking 'I'm quite overwhelmed by the day'. But by the end of the day, I'm skipping out of work because we've just had so much fun even though the story is very heavy."