Emmerdale reveals two new characters who are joining the soap this spring

Emmerdale has announced two new characters - and it looks like they're going to be stirring things up in the 'dales.

Earlier this week, the soap announced that Mark Womack and Reece Dinsdale would be joining the cast. Dinsdale, who played Tina McIntyre's father Joe in Corrie between 2008 and 2010, will be playing Paul - a blast from Mandy Dingle's past who will certainly stir things up for her and Vinny.

CASTING NEWS: Reece Dinsdale will be joining the cast of #Emmerdale as Paul, a blast from Mandy Dingle's past who will certainly stir things up for her and Vinny. Stay tuned for his arrival in the Village in Spring 2020. pic.twitter.com/NMY6FCu2bn

— Emmerdale (@emmerdale) February 7, 2020

And Womack will play the mysterious DI Malone, a police officer with a dark history. Both characters are set to appear in the village in late Spring 2020.

CASTING NEWS: Mark Womack will be joining the cast of #Emmerdale. Mark will play DI Malone, a police officer with a dark history...stay tuned for his arrival in the Village in Spring 2020. pic.twitter.com/3lgM37BDRM

— Emmerdale (@emmerdale) February 7, 2020

"It's always a lot of fun to play the bad guy, and Malone definitely falls into that category," Womack told DigitalSpy following the news of his casting. "I'm looking forward to the audience seeing his twisted tale unfold on screen." And Dinsdale said it was "time to get [his] acting boots back on" after recently directing a few episodes of the soap.

"I'm absolutely delighted to be joining the cast of Emmerdale," he said. "Having recently directed a couple of episodes and seen at close quarters the superb work the cast, crews, and creatives produce, I can't wait to become part of the team once again – albeit in a different capacity."