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

Stephen Harold Halliwell was born on 19 March 1946 in Stockport, Cheshire to parents Fred and Jenny Halliwell. He had a brother, Clive, who was two years older. Halliwell was an apprentice engineer and worked mainly in cotton and paper mills before drama training at the Mountview Theatre School. He was a founding member of the Interchange Theatre in Bury. 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. He also spoke openly about his experiences with depression throughout this period of his life.

Career

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. In 1994, he joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Emmerdale as Zak Dingle. 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. In 2014, Halliwell released his autobiography titled If The Cap Fits: My Rocky Road to Emmerdale. Halliwell remained in Emmerdale for 29 years, with his final scenes airing in June 2023.

Personal life and death

Halliwell had a child with his then-partner 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. Halliwell's first marriage to his childhood sweetheart Susan Woods in 1972 later ended in divorce. He married Valerie Kirkby in 1984, and their daughter Charlotte was born the same year. 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. 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. Halliwell died on 15 December 2023, at age 77 after a period of ill health. A statement from his family confirmed that he had "[died] peacefully with his loved ones around him". 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]".

Filmography

Sources