Dinsdale joined the ITV soap opera Emmerdale playing the villainous Paul Ashdale. Dinsdale left the soap after just a year in 2021 when his character was killed off in an explosion. Directing In January 2012 Dinsdale directed his first drama for television; a 45-minute single drama called "The Crossing" starring Lee Boardman, Ramona Marquez and Susie Blake, in the Secrets and Words series for BBC1. In July and August 2014 he directed the episode "Madge" in the Moving On series starring Hayley Mills, Kenneth Cranham and Peter Egan, again for BBC1. In May 2015, Dinsdale completed his third drama for BBC Television, "Scratch", starring Will Ash and Chris Coghill, once again for the Moving On series. Dinsdale thereafter directed a fourth TV drama, again in the Moving On series, for Jimmy McGovern: "Eighteen", a story about the attempted deportation of an Afghan youth back to his native Kabul, starring Antonio Aakeel and Rosie Cavaliero. The series was aired in November 2016. In 2017, Dinsdale directed Sue Johnston in "Lost" by Shaun Duggan for the Moving On series. He has directed several episodes of Emmerdale and announced in spring 2022 that he is to direct episodes of Coronation Street. Writing In 2009, Dinsdale wrote the short film Imaginary Friend which was subsequently filmed and stars Maxine Peake and Zara Turner. The film premiered on 8 May 2010 at the 360/365 Film Festival in New York City. Credits (incomplete) 2020–2021 Emmerdale (ITV) 2017 "The Fall of the Master Builder" (West Yorkshire Playhouse) 2015 "Richard III" (West Yorkshire Playhouse) 2015 The Absence of War (Headlong theatre tour) 2014 Untold Stories (West Yorkshire Playhouse) 2013 This House (National Theatre) 2012 The Knife That Killed Me (Green Screen Productions feature film) 2011 "Moving On" (LA Productions for BBC1) 2011 Waterloo Road (BBC TV) 2010 The Lady From The Sea (Theatre at the Royal Exchange, Manchester)Taggart (STVITV) 2009 Acid Burn (Red Productions short film) 2008–2010 Coronation Street (ITV) 2008 Silent Witness (BBC TV)Midnight Man (ITV) 2007 The Chase (BBC) 2006 Life on Mars (BBC TV)Dalziel and Pascoe episode "The Cave Woman" (BBC TV)The Chase (BBC TV) 2006 Love Lies Bleeding (ITV) 2004 Ahead of the Class (ITV)The Trouble with George (BBC)Conviction (BBC TV)Rabbit on the Moon (Headgear Films feature film) 2003 Spooks (BBC TV) 2002 Born and Bred (BBC TV) 2001 The Investigation (Canadian TV/BBC) 2000 Murder in Mind (BBC TV)In Deep (BBC)Visiting Mr. Green (West