EXCLUSIVE: Emmerdale star’s horror after reading gruesome Dingle shooting twist in script

Millions of Emmerdale fans were on the edge of their seats tonight as drug dealer Ray Walters shot Marlon Dingle d.e.a.d. Ruthless Ray, played by Joe Absolom, burst into Marlon’s home, where he was reminiscing over a cup of hot chocolate with his daughter, April, and shot him in the chest in front of her.

As he fell to the ground, the distraught teenager, played by Amelia Flanagan, tried to cradle her dad’s lifeless body. So, imagine viewers’ relief when they discovered it was all part of Marlon Dingle’s vivid dream!

In explosive scenes April also very nearly confesses to Marlon, played by Mark Charnock, about her terrible treatment at the hands of evil Ray.

Relieved that the dramatic scenes were only a dream, Joe, 46, says he had no desire to be blamed for assassinating one of Emmerdale ’s best-loved residents.

He tells The Mirror : “When I first read the episode, my immediate thought was ‘Oh no! I have been here ten minutes and now I have got to shoot the legend that is Marlon Dingle in the chest’. I knew it was bad. Shooting a Dingle when you haven’t been in the Dales for very long is pretty high up there on how not to join a soap. The Dingles are hallowed!”

Playing baddies goes with the territory for Joe, who played real life serial k.i.l.l.e.r Christopher Halliwell in A Confession; corrupt businessman Shay Nash in The Level and more recently, gangster Braden Moore in Code is Silence – all ITV shows.

But, in real life, he is a gentle character and has befriended co-star Mark since joining the soap in July. He says: “Mark is genuinely a lovely guy.He was so welcoming with me when I joined.”

When he first saw his shooting scenes and hadn’t read the revelation that the ‘m.u.r.d.e.r’ was just a dream, he feared that Mark was being written out.

He says: “I started to worry and think ‘oh no, he is going to have to ring his mortgage company, he will be back auditioning like me’. I didn’t want to bump into him in the canteen!”

When he realised it was all a dream, he says: “I was so relieved, as I really did not want to have to come in and shoot him d.e.a.d.”

Joe is protective over other cast members, as he says his co-stars immediately welcomed him into the Emmerdale family.

“I was very aware when I came into such an established show, people could be wary,” he explains.. “When I was in EastEnders (as Matthew Rose), I remember new characters coming in and other actors, who shall remain nameless, were jarred by the new arrival. People would be like ‘oh they are coming on my territory’. But I have had none of this at Emmerdale, it’s all been so positive and it’s also another reason why I am glad Ray’s shooting of Marlon is a dream.”

While Ray may not be a m.u.r.d.e.r.e.r, he is a deeply flawed character,

He has forced April and Dylan to sell his drugs and has left April, in particular, fearing for her family’s safety.

Joe has thrown everything he has into the part – and particularly into the shooting storyline.

He used a rubber gun during filming, but there was also a real-life gun, guarded by a man in armour, on set, so the crew could capture authentic shots.

“When they turned up on set, the gun was locked in a case, within a case and in another case, “Joe says. “A man was in armour and I was given a rubber gun, as there was no way they were going to let me have a real one.

“But it is fun doing scenes like these.”

Loving his time working in Yorkshire, even the commute from his home in Cornwall has failed to dampen Joe’s spirits.

“I really don’t mind it,” he insists. “Ray is such a fun person to play. Since I’ve been here, I’ve sold drugs, pimped out April and taught Dylan to drive.”

Luckily, his three children, Lyla, 18, Casper, 14, and Daisy, 12, with his ex-wife Liz, don’t mind the amount of time he spends away in Leeds, where Emmerdale is filmed.

“I am usually away a lot, but with this job, I have been away a particular lot of time and I do feel like I need to go and see my kids,” he says. “But they are like ‘dad it’s fine, you have to work’”

He admits his kids are typical teenagers, adding: “When I do get back, they say: ‘can I go out and can you pick me up at 12?’”

And Joe is not the only member of the Absolom clan to have been welcomed into the Emmerdale family – as his son, Caspar, works in the same Cornish cafe as Gracie – daughter of Kevin Mathurin, who plays vicar Charles.

He laughs: “Gracie and my son work together in a little café on a beach.

“It’s so weird but they both find it funny their dads are in Emmerdale.

“I didn’t know Kevin before I joined, but we’ve had a nice chat about our children.”

Meanwhile, fans have some very dark storylines coming up from Ray – and this time no one will be dreaming.

“We’ve been working with the Salvation Army on what modern slavery looks like with the relationship between Celia, Ray, April and Dylan,” says Joe.

“What viewers will find out is cruel, horrible and it’s done with such a vicious streak.”

Romance is also on the cards for Ray, with Marlon;s ex, Laurel.

“Ray is going to get a love interest,” says Joe. “He then gets split into two different worlds.

“When her family finds out about him, they are naturally going to be very worried for her.

“The secrets will catch up on Ray and he will start to unravel…”

But Joe is lapping up his Dales role.

He says: “It’s great to be part of Emmerdale. Anything can happen!”