Steve Halliwell, known for playing Emmerdale’s Zak Dingle has died aged 77. The actor passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.
A a statement from his family read: “He was making us laugh to the end. The most amazing father and grandfather you could ever wish for, family was everything to him. He didn’t want sadness, just to rejoice in a life well lived,” the BBC reports.
The relatives praised St James’s Hospital in Leeds and Wheatfield Hospice for ‘their love and kindness in his final days’.
The soap star first appeared in ITV’s Emmerdale back in October 1994, and featured for 27 years when he left the show back in 2021. Initially supposed to appear only for a few episodes, his character became a key part of the soap, and Halliwell was nominated for several awards for his portrayal of Zak
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As well as appearing in the soap, the Lancashire born actor appeared in such television series as Here I stand, Heartbeat and Coronation Street before joining the Yorkshire soap. Before retrained as an actor, Halliwell worked in cotton and paper mills.
John Whiston, ITV drama executive said” Halliwell was “one of those rare human beings who was as wonderful off screen as on… undoubted father of the show, but also its fun mischievous uncle”.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow….
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Feature Image Credit: ITV
