Natalie J Robb reveals why Moira and Cain Dingle split up next week
And why Cain is driven straight into the arms of Charity.
If you're a huge fan of Emmerdale couple Moira and Cain Dingle, it might be best to look away now.
The bad news is that Cain (Jeff Hordley) will walk out on Moira next week after her daughter Holly's drugs secret is finally exposed, sending shockwaves through the family.
The even worse news for 'Coira' fans is that Cain then seeks comfort from his old flame Charity (Emma Atkins) as they share a secret kiss, which could prove to be the final nail in the coffin for his marriage.
We recently caught up with Natalie J Robb, who plays Moira, for the inside scoop on the storyline.
Why hasn't Moira told Cain what happened to her recently?
"Because then he'd know that Holly has been taking drugs again. Cain has always said to Moira that if Holly was to take again, then she's out of the house. This has always been Moira's problem because Cain will always make her choose. Anyone who has children will know that you're not going to go against your kid."
How does it all come out?
"Cain finds the PEP pills. He confronts the family and thinks that Holly has been taking drugs again. Then Moira has to hold her hands up and go: 'No, it's me that could be infected'.
"Which is massive to Cain. He goes mental and basically wants to throw Holly out. Adam's there, so all the lies come out that she's been using again. That's when Cain makes the ultimatum of: 'You have to choose'."
How did you feel when you were told about the 'Coira' break-up?
"I always knew it was probably going to happen. They said it would be a possibility. In Soapland, we know that marriages never stay happy. All considering, time-wise we've been okay!
"The truth of the matter is they actually do really love each other. It's just all the fireworks and all the different elements that come into it - a big one being Charity. There's all sorts of different things that could go wrong, but ultimately she loves this man. But when it comes to her daughter she thinks: 'If I don't support her this time, she will die'."
While all this is going on, does Moira know that Charity is trying to reel Cain in?
"She's always known that. She's very aware of it. I always thought it was a bizarre move when Moira had Charity staying at the farm. She did that from the kindness of her heart for Noah. But a lot of women watching that would have gone: 'No way!'"
How worried is Moira by Charity?
"Cain does come back to Moira and say: 'Listen, I will support you and while we're being honest about everything, I kissed Charity'. Moira is like: 'Right, this isn't going to go down well, darling! As soon as a bit of trouble comes along, you come running back to her?'
"Charity tries to manipulate him and get her claws into him, but then he tells Moira the truth, thinking she'll say: 'Okay, great, the cards are on the table'. But she doesn't. Then that really starts to put a wedge between us."
There's a lot of tension between Cain and James next week too...
"Yes, James also overhears Charity deliberately saying where Cain stayed that night. So then James comes in and says: 'Just tell her. Don't take him back. Ask him where he stayed last night'.
"Cain gets very, very jealous of James's intervention and him always being around Moira - and supporting her through the PEP treatment while Cain was away. James is doing that because he's familiar to Moira and obviously the past that they have, which is in no way, shape or form anything romantic.
"But Cain doesn't see it like that. Cain's like: 'Look at you two. Why's he sniffing around all the time?' Cain gets really, really jealous and then goes that one step further..."
So what happens next?
"Moira is wondering whether to forgive Cain because she just doesn't know whether she can trust him again. She's almost at the decision of giving it another go and James is taking her to see Cain, but then Cain tries to run James off the road.
"He comes up right behind them, not realising that Moira is in the car. He's just about to knock James off the road and Moira looks back and he sees her - and he runs himself off the road!"
Does Moira realise then that Cain is quite unhinged?
"Yes, that is the point. That's the straw that breaks the camel's back. She says: 'You're off your head. What are you gonna do - try and kill him? He's not even done anything'. Then he nearly kills himself in the process. I say that it's just best that we let this go. At that point I say: 'That's it. We're over.' So it's Moira that finishes it."
But does Moira still love Cain?
"Absolutely. James asks her if she wants a divorce and she says: 'Of course I don't. But I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust him again'. When he tries to run them off the road, Moira thinks it's better that they're apart."
Would you say this is all Holly's fault?
"Well, Holly is blaming herself for that, but Moira is just not letting her take any blame because addicts go back on it as soon as they think they've got a reason to do it. Moira says: 'It's not your fault. He's got issues. Don't worry about it'."
Are you sure Moira has never fancied James?
"No, it's always been a friendship, really. The only reason they got together in the first place was because she was really drunk and she felt neglected by John because he was always on the farm and she was bringing up the kids on her own."
Who do you think Moira will be with by Christmas? James, Cain or on her own?
"Good question! I don't know whether she should be with anybody."
Maybe Pete again?
"No, she does like a young man, though! So if they want to bring another young man in... But then you've got to be careful because a lot of people who go with Moira do end up dead!"
Do you agree with Moira's decisions at this point?
"I do. I like the fact that she's got her feistiness back again. I do like that about Moira. When I first joined the show, that was what she was about. She was Mother Earth. She still is, because she always puts the children first.
"I work with real-life farmers when we do research for the show. They're always on hand. They're a different breed, farmers. They're tough cookies. They don't put up with much at all. So I like the fact that they're bringing the feistiness back. That is what Cain likes. That's what makes them work. It's the chemistry that they have together."
Do you think that the Emmerdale fans prefer 'Coira' or 'Chain'?
"I don't know. I did see on Twitter that they want a referendum if they split us up! I think the general response is that they want us together. But a lot of the audience like that there could be problems. I think that [Emmerdale producer] Iain [MacLeod] is going along with it and they'll see how it unfolds. But they're going to keep the thread of them loving each other, but it's whether they get together or not."
Will you be sad about working less with Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain?
"Yes, but I think they're still going to have us working together. Not as intensely for a while, but if they do bring us back together, then the making up is going to be a lot of fun! Get us back in that garage. It gave me my nickname of Mucky Moira in the first place. Everyone calls me that here, by the way. Nobody calls me Nat."
Have you enjoyed working with the new boss Iain?
"I haven't really said much to him. He's been so busy. We've said hello in the corridor but we haven't had a meeting yet. But we've been so busy, it's just been non-stop. I'm really enjoying it. The stuff we're getting is good.
"As long as Iain is a fan of what we're doing, I'm happy. I'm not going to complain. I'm very lucky because I'm working with Jeff - and Sophie [Powles, who plays Holly] has been doing some incredible work lately. She's really been pulling it out of the bag."
Are you involved in the big October storyline this year?
"Originally, we were. But now, there's so much going on around it that we can't be in two places at once. But we are involved afterwards. For the aftermath..."
Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe
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Originally Posted by lizann
