They’re yin and yang, chalk and cheese and just about every other opposite pair of things you can think of, but the friendship between Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) and Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) in Emmerdale is a beautiful and precious thing.
The two first bonded in the aftermath of the murder of Liam’s daughter Leanna (Mimi Slinger). When Liam was so lost in grief he was really unable to communicate with anyone else, Cain just offered him a can of beer and sat in silence with him – and a bond of friendship was formed.
Jonny McPherson previously described what makes the two men work so well as friends.
‘I think Liam admires the strength of Cain,’ he said.
‘The fierceness and the nonchalance that he’s got. I think Cain probably just sees Liam as absolutely no threat. There’s just nothing to worry about there. He’s as inoffensive as it’s possible to be. It allows them to be quite open with each other.’
Liam is in need of his friend again in coming episodes. He’s fallen head over heels in love with Ella Forster (Paula Lane), only to discover that there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye in a shocking way – being told that she killed her best friend when she was 11-years old.
And, as ever, his good mate Cain Dingle is there with a can of beer and a shoulder to cry on. At least there are some things in life you can rely on.
With Cain having been the one that Ella opened up to about the full story, could he help Liam try to get his read round it all?
