William Ash to join Emmerdale as Cain and Chas's brother

Will Ash as Caleb Miligan and Jeff Hordley as Cain Dingle in Emmerdale

William Ash (right) has been cast as Caleb, the long lost brother of Cain (Jeff Hordley, left). (Image credit: ITV)

Acclaimed actor William Ash has joined the cast of Emmerdale.

The 45-year-old star will play Caleb Miligan, the long-lost brother of Cain and Chas Dingle.

A wealthy and well-connected businessman, Caleb will make his first appearance on the soap on Christmas Day, and he has some difficult questions for Cain, who is currently in prison.

His arrival is set to cause more conflict between Cain and Chas, as it transpires Cain has kept Caleb’s existence a secret from his sister since they were teenagers.

William Ash as Caleb in Emmerdale. (Image credit: ITV)

Says Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Will Ash to the village. It's fantastic to have such a high calibre and immensely talented actor join our wonderful team.

“Arriving on screen on Christmas Day, Caleb has to undoubtedly be the most unexpected and shocking Christmas gift Cain and Chas have ever received!

“Calm and in control, rich and successful, at first glance Caleb is everything his brother isn't, but will the pair find they have more in common than they thought?

“What secrets from the past will come back to haunt them, and how will the rest of the family react when Caleb strolls into town? His arrival certainly promises to shake things up for the Dingles and make 2023 start off with a huge bang!”

William Ash has been a fixture on screens since the late 1980s and is known for his roles in hit dramas such as Where the Heart Is, Clocking Off, and Waterloo Road.

Waterloo Road Christopher Mead Karen Fisher — School days: William Ash as Deputy Head Chris Mead in Waterloo Road, with co-star Amanda Burton, who played Headteacher Karen Fisher (Image credit: BBC)

Commenting on his new role, he says: “I’m thrilled to be joining such an iconic show.

"Emmerdale is packed full of fantastic actors and I'm really looking forward to working alongside them.

“Caleb is a fantastically complex character and I can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Caleb’s arrival comes at the end of a difficult year for Cain, who has suffered the loss of mum Faith and is currently taking the rap for Al Chapman’s murder; a crime actually committed by his young son Kyle.

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30 pm on ITV, with a hour-long episode on Thursdays — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on ITV Hub.

However, screenings are currently affected by the World Cup so check our UK TV Guide or When is Emmerdale on? All you need to know about the World Cup 2022 schedule changes.

Alison Slade has over 20 years of experience as a TV journalist and has spent the vast majority of that time as Soap Editor of TV Times magazine. She is passionate about the ability of soaps to change the world by presenting important, issue-based stories about real people in a relatable way. There are few soap actors that she hasn’t interviewed over the years, and her expertise in the genre means she has been called upon as a judge numerous times for The British Soap Awards and the BAFTA TV Awards.

When she is not writing about soaps, watching soaps, or interviewing people who are in soaps, she loves going to the theatre, taking a long walk or pottering about at home, obsessing over Farrow and Ball paint.