Eli Dingle in Emmerdale: Relationship with brother Marlon, his troublemaking schemes, and criminal past
What’s actor Joe Gilgun up to now?
Eli Dingle has just arrived in the village in Classic Emmerdale, much to his brother Marlon’s horror.
It’s already clear that Marlon isn’t fond of his brother, while Zak has given Eli an ultimatum – he needs to keep out of trouble, or he’ll be sent packing!
It seems Sam’s the only member of the family who’s pleased to see his cousin.
But as Eli ended up sticking around in Emmerdale for four years, he definitely won over his family in the end.
Here’s the lowdown on everything the troublemaking Dingle – the one-time bareknuckle fighting champion of Skipdale – got up to during his years in Emmerdale.
Eli’s arrival
Eli sauntered into the village on the day of the King’s River show home opening. He immediately pointed out the flaws in the house, claiming there were cracks in the plaster and said he knew what he was talking to thanks to training as a builder when he was in prison.
But Marlon thought Eli was jealous and he ignored his advice.
When the house exploded, Eli helped pull people from the wreckage.
Eli and Alice
When Alice Dingle wanted to end her life, due to her terminal cancer, Marlon begged Eli to help.
He emotionally blackmailed his brother into getting hold of morphine for Alice. But after Alice died, Zak was horrified to find out Eli had given her the drugs. He disowned poor Eli, who had to leave Wishing Well Cottage.
When Sam came across his cousin, he was living rough in the woods on the run from some vicious drug dealers. The dealers attacked Marlon in an attempt to track Eli down. Eventually Eli came up with a plan to frame them for an armed robbery at the post office. The plan worked and Eli was welcomed back into the Dingle family.
Trouble making!
Eli was wrongly arrested for Tom King’s murder, and he had a flirtation with Kelly Windsor. When Jimmy jilted Kelly at the altar, Eli nicked Debbie’s car for her to use to escape the village.
He and Debbie started an on/off relationship and he helped her with some of her money-making schemes, including pretending to be Scott Windsor to help her get a loan for the garage.
Shooting Marlon!
Marlon was disappointed when a local bookmaker wouldn’t pay out and decided to rob it in revenge. He convinced Eli to join him. But when Marlon discovered Eli had brought a gun, he wanted to pull out. He tried to stop Eli and got accidentally shot in the chest!
Luckily, Marlon recovered but he was furious with Eli. And the brothers’ relationship completely fell apart when Marlon was hailed a hero and given enough money to buy a house for him and Donna.
Eli was jealous and started blackmailing his brother, threatening to tell everyone the robbery was his idea.
The pair ended up in a scuffle on top of a multi-storey carpark!
Eli and the McFarlanes
Eli had links to a local crime family, the McFarlanes, through his ex-girlfriend Danielle. She helped the Dingles rescue Aaron from the family after he began working as a drugs courier for them.
And Eli was also involved when Jasmine Thomas killed bent cop Shane Doyle – another person working for the McFarlanes – when he tried to rape her.
Eli helped cover up the crime, but things got complicated when Ross Kirk – who was having an affair with Donna – was blamed for the murder (by Marlon!).
Lots of complications later, and Eli spilled the beans to the police, telling them what really happened, leaving Debbie arrested while Jasmine escaped. Jasmine eventually returned and confessed, leading to Debbie being released.
Eli, though, was struggling and ended up back on the streets. Laurel found him and brought him back to the village. Eli thought he brought trouble to his family, but he was welcomed home. He tried to keep things on the straight and narrow, making friends and getting a job at the sweet factory.
Eli and Olena in Emmerdale
But when Eli fell for Olena Petrovich, things got tricky again. Sam Dingle also had feelings for her though it was Eli she loved. When Sam reported Olena to immigration, Eli somehow got the blame.
He went on a downward spiral and ended up stealing the cash box from the B&B and knocking Eric Pollard unconscious.
Eli decided to leave but he and Marlon had an emotional discussion before he went, chatting about their childhood.
Eli’s not been back in the village since 2010. But he was a popular character and many fans have said they’d love to see him back!
Eli Dingle in Emmerdale was played by Joe Gilgun.
He started his career as a child, playing Jamie Armstrong in Coronation Street. Jamie was the funny, quick-witted son of Tricia Armstrong (played by Tracy Brabin, who’s now Mayor of West Yorkshire).
What else has Joe Gilgun been in?
After shooting to fame as Jamie, things got a bit tricky for Joe and he took a break from acting for a while – even working as a plasterer.
But then he came back with a bang, playing Eli in Emmerdale and kind-hearted skinhead Woody in the Shane Meadows film This Is England. Joe is close with his co-stars from This Is England, and calls them “my gang”.
From there, he went on to star in many other television shows including Misfits, Ripper Street in the UK. He also starred in the film Lockout, and in US TV show Preacher as a vampire called Cassidy.
Joe – who’s now known as Joseph professionally – also created, executive produced and stars in the Sky comedy Brassic. Impressive stuff!
He plays Vinnie in the show, which has run for six seasons and has been renewed for a seventh, making it the joint-longest-running scripted show on Sky. Joe stars alongside fellow former Coronation Street residents Michelle Keegan (who played Tina McIntyre) and Bhavna Limbachia (Rana Nazir).
Joe has ADHD and dyslexia and has spoken openly about the struggles he’s had. He also has bipolar disorder – just like his alter ego Vinnie in Brassic. Joe says many of the events in Brassic are based upon things that have happened in his own life and his struggles with his mental health.
Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale? All the cast exits, arrivals and returns
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
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