Diagnosed in his 20s with a debilitating condition, Jeff once feared it could derail his acting ambitions altogether. Instead, he found a way to manage it and build the long career viewers know and love today.

Emmerdale star Jeff Hordley living with crippling health condition

Jeff was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when he was 26, although he had first started experiencing symptoms at just 20.

As a former ambassador for Crohn’s & Colitis UK, Jeff has spoken candidly about his experience. In 2009, he told Express.co.uk that doctors initially believed he had irritable bowel syndrome. However, as his symptoms persisted and worsened, he pushed for further answers.

Crohn’s disease can cause diarrhoea, stomach pain and cramps, blood in poo, fatigue and weight loss, although not everyone experiences the same combination.

Jeff said at the time: “Even though I tried to avoid foods that upset my digestive system, such as coffee and Chinese takeaways, I was still sick and tired and I kept losing weight.”

The illness began to affect his studies. “I was a drama student in Manchester and sometimes I had to miss lectures because I was too tired,” he explained. “I even had to drop out of my final year plays.”

The condition also has painful personal history for Jeff. His mum died in 1979 after suffering post-surgery complications linked to the same disease.

Eventually, Jeff underwent surgery to remove part of his bowel. Following that, he made significant lifestyle changes, including quitting cigarettes and embracing a home-grown diet.

No medication

Jeff and his wife Zoe Henry, who plays Rhona Goskirk in Emmerdale, now grow much of their own fruit and vegetables on their allotment.

Speaking on CBBC’s Lockdown Learning series Celebrity Supply Teacher in 2020, Jeff said: “We find that getting our hands in the earth and growing our own fruit and vegetables is a great way to connect with nature.”

On the Another Day Another Collar podcast last year, he revealed he is not currently taking medication for Crohn’s, managing it instead through what he described as a holistic approach.

When asked if he was still an ambassador, Jeff said: “Crohn’s; no, I’m not anymore, but I was for years because I’ve had Crohn’s since I was 24, 25, and I’ve now managed to keep it under wraps because of diet.”

He added: “I eat very much seasonally; we eat from our allotment.

“So that’s how I’ve managed to do it and exercise and things like that. I’ve managed to avoid any medication, which not every Crohn’s sufferer manages to do, but that’s the way I’ve managed it.”

As viewers watch Cain confront his own health crisis on screen, Jeff’s real life resilience adds another layer to his powerful performance.