Emmerdale’s Dingle family are preparing to say goodbye to their legendary patriarch, Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell), in upcoming episodes.
Beloved actor Steve Halliwell died aged 77 last year, with his family paying tribute to the ‘most amazing father and grandfather you could ever wish for,’ in a statement issued at the time. They added that ‘family was everything to him.’
Steve’s alter ego, Zak Dingle, appeared on the show regularly between 1994 and 2023 and was last seen on screen in June last year. Recently Zak has been in Scotland, staying with his granddaughter Debbie (Charley Webb). Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) recently travelled to visit his dad after news that Zak was unwell.
Jeff Hordley told Metro that Cain gets the sad and shocking news of Zak’s death soon after he returns to the village.
‘He’s just come back from Scotland that morning, I think, and Zak’s kind of told him to go and, you know, it’ll be fine. And he’s promised him that he won’t do too much, because his doctor said for him to rest, because he’s not been well. I think that’s why it’s so immediate for Cain, and so shocking – it’s like seeing someone in the morning, isn’t it? And then in the afternoon, they’re gone.’
The show will highlight the importance of Zak as a character and Steve as a cast member in the writing, by having Cain delivering the sad news to different members of the family as they all try to process what’s happened and what Zak means to them.
‘The way they’ve written it, there were little scenes where I had to go to various members of the Dingle family,’ Jeff recalled. ‘It was good, you know? It was a nice little piece. They react in various degrees of reacting to sad news. Nobody was expecting it.’
Following this, there’s a special episode involving Cain, Sam (James Hooton) and Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper).
‘I’m sure it’s pretty much a dedicated episode where they just stay up one night and talk about what’s going on in their lives, and relate it all to Zak, and talk about Zak as well,’ Jeff said.
‘It’s a really lovely episode. It reminded me a lot of the lockdown two hander episodes that we had where it’s just characters talking. It’s a bit like doing a play, it’s quite intense.’
To honour Steve, who his family said was ‘making us laugh to the end,’ these sad and intense scenes are balanced by some typical Dingle mayhem at the funeral itself, as Jeff described.
‘Sam and Cain go up to Scotland to bring Zak home, and the funeral takes place very soon after. The funeral has got Dingles written all over it. That’s all I can tell you, really. If you could say shotgun wedding, or shotgun funeral, you’d kind of get a picture of what it’s like.’
Emmerdale cast pay tribute to Steve Halliwell and Zak Dingle
Cain Dingle star Jeff Hordley reflects on filming the funeral episode:
‘There’s really poignant moments in it. And whilst we were filming, we were all focused and giving the script everything it needed. But off camera as well – and Steve would have enjoyed this, because Steve always liked to have a giggle behind the camera – whilst we weren’t rolling, we made sure we had some laughs as well.
‘Because when we do get together as a group, we do make sure that it’s fun to film. What I’m trying to say is that the mood wasn’t just downbeat, we were making sure that we were having a laugh, and Steve wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.’
Mandy Dingle actress Lisa Riley said:
‘The best part for us, as the Dingle family, was the way that this went through production. From Laura (Shaw), our producer, who’s known us for years, grown up with us, and then Peter Kerry who has written the script, who was part of the development team of the Dingles all those years ago. Finally, Jeff Naylor, our director, directed Steve Halliwell and Zak’s first ever episode! So you’ve got all that thrown in the mix, it’s so nostalgic! So for us, as a family, it was obviously the biggest blessing and we’re so happy that it all happened in this way.’
‘Also, when you think of Steve Halliwell and the character of Zak, you always think of his love of music. So the team has brilliantly incorporated his music into this episode. Zak’s love of music and the nostalgia are all there for the viewers to see.’
Lucy Pargeter aka Chas Dingle:
‘Working with Steve was like the fun of being in nursery every single day. I can’t remember any day that was serious or any day that he ever flew off the handle or was angry about anything. It never felt like a work day with Steve, it was just like having your head teacher in your classroom and they just say ‘let’s all have fun!”’
Sam Dingle star James Hooton:
‘I have so many brilliant memories of Zak. I used to like the really silly, unbelievable stuff that we did back in the 90s. One memory is of a crying Elvis doll that the Dingles tried to convince people was like a crying Mary Magdalene sort of thing. It was a doll that they’d stolen from a second-hand clothes shop and they were using it to make money.
‘Another hilarious story that springs to mind is when they tried to send Butch into orbit, the most unbelievable storyline at that time but we always tried to do it with pathos and believability. It used to make us laugh so much that sometimes it became difficult to get through a scene.’
Belle Dingle star Eden Taylor-Draper reflects:
‘Steve, to me, was the funniest man ever! He was a really weird combination of a father figure, best friend, a standup comedian and a counsellor. He was everything. It really feels like he lives on because all of us have traits of his; our sense of humour or things we bond over, so everyday when we are together, it feels like Steve is still part of the conversation or moment.’
Follow Metro Soaps on WhatsApp and get all the latest spoilers first!
Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who’s leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale?
Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro’s WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews.
Simply click on this link, select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in! Don’t forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we’ve just dropped the latest spoilers!
As they were filming, Steve was never far from their minds as the cast members who’d worked with him for so many years knew that he’d have wanted them to have some fun as they filmed the sad scenes.
‘There’s really poignant moments in it,’ Jeff said. ‘And whilst we were filming, we were all focused and giving the script everything it needed. But off camera as well – and Steve would have enjoyed this, because Steve always liked to have a giggle behind the camera – whilst we weren’t rolling, we made sure we had some laughs as well. Because when we do get together as a group, we do make sure that it’s fun to film.
‘What I’m trying to say is that the mood wasn’t just downbeat, we were making sure that we were having a laugh, and Steve wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.’
MORE : Tom surprises Amelia with his latest move in Emmerdale – and she’s in serious danger
MORE : Emmerdale video reveals devastating moment Zak’s death is announced
MORE : Emmerdale and Coronation Street deaths as EastEnders ‘confirms’ jail twist in 25 new soap spoilers
The Soaps Newsletter
Sign up for daily Soaps updates and our weekly Editor’s special for juicy exclusives and interviews. Privacy Policy
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.