Steve Halliwell

English actor (1946–2023)

For other people named Steve Halliwell, see Steve Halliwell (disambiguation).

Steve Halliwell

Halliwell as Zak Dingle in Emmerdale

Born|

Stephen Harold Halliwell

(1946-03-19)19 March 1946

Bury, Lancashire, England

Died| 15 December 2023(2023-12-15) (aged 77)

Leeds, England

Occupation| Actor
Years active| 1977–2023
Spouses|

* Susan Woods

(m. 1972, divorced)​

* Valerie Kirkby

(m. 1984)​

Children| 3

Stephen Harold Halliwell (19 March 1946 – 15 December 2023) was an English actor, best known for portraying the role of Zak Dingle in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, which he played from 1994 until his death in 2023.

## Early life[edit]

Stephen Harold Halliwell was born on 19 March 1946 in Bury, Lancashire to parents Fred and Jenny Halliwell.[1] He had a brother, Clive, who was two years older.[2] Halliwell was an apprentice engineer and worked mainly in cotton and paper mills before drama training at the Mountview Theatre School.[3] He was a founding member of the Interchange Theatre in Bury.[3] Halliwell was once arrested for sleeping rough in an empty government building in London. He was sent to a prison in Ashford for two weeks and was later released on probation.[4] He also spoke openly about his experiences with depression throughout this period of his life.[5]

## Career[edit]

During the first two decades of his career, Halliwell featured in a number of British television series, including Here I Stand, Threads, Cracker, Crown Court, G.B.H., Heartbeat and Coronation Street.[2] In 1994, he joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Emmerdale as Zak Dingle.[5] Together with Emmerdale co-stars Billy Hartman and Alun Lewis, he was a member of UK 1990s country rock trio the Woolpackers who released the single "Hillbilly Rock Hillbilly Roll" in November 1996.[2] In 2014, Halliwell released his autobiography titled If The Cap Fits: My Rocky Road to Emmerdale.[6] Dingle remained in Emmerdale for 29 years, with his final scenes airing in June 2023.[7]

## Personal life and death[edit]

Halliwell had a child with his then-girlfriend whilst he was a student; the child, a daughter, was given up for adoption. In 1997 it was reported that Halliwell was searching for her.[8] Halliwell's first marriage to his childhood sweetheart Susan Woods in 1972 later ended in divorce.[9][10] He married Valerie Kirkby in 1984, and their daughter Charlotte was born the same year.[11] In 2003, Halliwell took a short break from Emmerdale for personal reasons. He later said that the break was due to staying at a rehabilitation centre for alcoholism.[5] In September 2018, Halliwell had to take five months off from Emmerdale for health reasons, which he later revealed was due to having a heart surgery and a pacemaker fitted.[5][12]

Halliwell died on 15 December 2023, at age 77.[13] A statement from his family confirmed that he had "[died] peacefully with his loved ones around him".[14] Several of his Emmerdale co-stars paid tribute to him, including his character's on-screen niece Lisa Riley, who thanked him for "years of laughter" and noted that he was "adored, loved and respected by [the cast]".[15]

## Filmography[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1977  | Second City Firsts | Stan  | 1 episode
Here I Stand | Ionian  | Episode: "The Gadfly"
1978  | Pickersgill People | PC Donovan Dugdale  |
1983–1990  | All Creatures Great and Small | PC Goole  | 3 episodes
1984  | Threads | Information officer  | Television film
1984–1994  | Coronation Street | Returning officer/Paul Hindley  | 12 episodes
1985–1986  | The Practice | Peter Bishop  | 44 episodes
1990  | Children's Ward | Mr Jenks  | 2 episodes
1991  | G.B.H | Bubbles' friend  |
1994–2023  | Emmerdale | Zak Dingle | Regular role; 2,795 episodes
1995  | Elidor | Mr Brodie  | 1 episode
1997  | Emmerdale: The Dingles Down Under | Zak Dingle  | Video release
1999  | Emmerdale: Don't Look Now! – The Dingles in Venice
2010  | Emmerdale: The Dingles – For Richer or Poorer
Sources: [16][17]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
2. ^ a b c Saeyang, Shado (19 December 2019). "Five Fast Facts About British Soap Star Steve Halliwell". Soap Hub. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
3. ^ a b Hayward 1994, p. 115
4. ^ "Emmerdale's Zak Dingle star Steve Halliwell's colourful life off-screen from rehab to jail". Daily Mirror. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
5. ^ a b c d Woodcock, Zara (22 March 2021). "Emmerdale's Steve Halliwell's complicated life after soap – depression and booze battle". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
6. ^ Halliwell, Steve (2014). If The Cap Fits: My Rocky Road to Emmerdale. The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-5835-6.
7. ^ Obituaries, Telegraph (17 December 2023). "Steve Halliwell, actor who found fame as the lovable, work-shy rogue Zak Dingle in Emmerdale – obituary". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
8. ^ "Emmerdale star hunts for his long lost daughter; Dingle is desperate to find tot given away 30 yrs ago". The Free Library. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
9. ^ "Emmerdale's Steve Halliwell health: Cause of death and illness". Heart. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
10. ^ "Emmerdale's Steve Halliwell's two marriages, life with wife Valerie and battle with alcoholism away from Zak Dingle role". RSVP Live. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
11. ^ Media, P. A. (15 December 2023). "Steve Halliwell, actor who played Emmerdale's Zak Dingle, dies aged 77". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
12. ^ Mapstone, Lucy. "Zak Dingle actor Steve Halliwell to return to Emmerdale after heart surgery". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
13. ^ "Steve Halliwell: Emmerdale's Zak Dingle actor dies aged 77". BBC News. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
14. ^ "A Statement about Steve Halliwell". ITV. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
15. ^ "Emmerdale actor Steve Halliwell dies after 29 years as Zak Dingle". ITV. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
16. ^ "Steve Halliwell at TV Guide". TV Guide. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
17. ^ "Steve Halliwell filmography". Mubi. Retrieved 18 December 2023.

## Sources[edit]

* Anthony Hayward (1994). Who's Who on Television. Boxtree Limited. ISBN 1-85283-936-8.

## External links[edit]

* Steve Halliwell at IMDb
* Steve Halliwell discography at Discogs

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

*[m.]: married