Inside Steve Halliwell's troubled rise to fame - homelessness to Emmerdale icon
Emmerdale fans are devastated to learn of the sad death of Steve Halliwell, who played Dingle patriarch Zak Dingle for 29 years.
The soap legend passed away 'peacefully' at the age of 77, surrounded by loved ones who he made 'laugh to the end'. In a statement announcing his death today, a spokesperson for ITV said it was 'hard not to smile' when thinking of the star. They added: "Steve will forever be synonymous with Emmerdale. The proud defender and head of the Dingle family. Heart and humour in all he did, it has been and always will be impossible not to smile when you think of him."
His family said: "He went to sleep, peacefully with his loved ones around him. He was making us laugh to the end, the most amazing father and grandfather you could ever wish for, family was everything to him. We would like to thank the wonderful staff at St James Hospital and the Wheatfield Hospice for their love and kindness in his final days. He didn’t want sadness, just to rejoice in a life well lived."
Zak ranks among the most memorable characters in Emmerdale history, being at the centre of much of the village drama over the years. Many simply can't imagine Emmerdale without Steve's influence, but may not be aware of the considerable struggles he endured on his road to success. As soap watchers mourn the loss of a true icon, we take a look at Steve's rise from a homeless aspiring actor to a household name.
Steve was often unhappy growing up (ITV)'Sad' upbringing and rock star dreams
Steve was born in Bury, Lancashire, to strict churchgoer mother Jenny, and withdrawn, inattentive father Fred. Raised in a working class household, Steve earned a reputation as a 'hard nut' in his younger years. In private, however, the troubled youngster was deeply saddened by his chilly upbringing, and would often cry himself to sleep at night.
EastEnders' Jake Wood's snap of son has fans pointing out the pair's likeness
In his autobiography If the Cap Fits: My Rocky Road to Emmerdale, Steve recalled: "I was sad and confused by my seemingly loveless father, religious brother and introvert mother. I didn't know how I could help them to be happy or myself." At 15, Steve began working with dad Fred at the local paper mill but realised it wasn't for him.
After attending technical college, Steve started work as an apprentice fitter, but didn't enjoy that line of work either and so moved to a cotton mill. He proceeded to try his hand at a number of jobs while trying to find his feet - from grave digging to 'cutting ears off rancid sheepskins at a tannery' - but nothing seemed to stick. Everything changed when he left home at the age of 17 however, taking with him dreams of becoming 'a beatnik poet or a rock star', inspired by Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road and later started training at Mountview Theatre School.
Steve was always 'grateful to Zak Dingle' (Shared Content Unit)Sleeping rough and cruel arrest
Unfortunately, pursuing this sort of creative destiny proved very difficult indeed, and Steve ended up living on the streets, looking 'like some lunatic apostle'. Steve has also opened up about the time he was arrested while sleeping rough in London, after finding shelter in an empty Government building.
Steve, who recalled he was 'so hungry and got very thin' at the time of his arrest, shared: "I was sent to Ashford remand prison for two weeks and then I was put on probation and sent home". Thankfully, in 1994, while on the dole and dealing with depression, Steve reached a life-changing turning point when he was asked to interview for a new part in Emmerdale. The rest, as they say, is history.
Viewers loved Steve's portrayal of Zak, and the character quickly became a firm favourite. Steve wrote: "It was the start of the first period of financial security in my life. So I'll always be grateful to Zak Dingle." He told the Mirror in 2014: "I was born to play Zak Dingle – the cap really does fit. Most of the storylines I’ve lived in real life. I’ve been broke, evicted, in trouble with the law.
" Then there’s depression, drinking and having to fight your way out of situations. I’ve lived all those things and more. I can’t blame anyone else. I pressed the self-destruct button."
His other acting credits included Cracker, Heartbeat and Coronation Street. Halliwell leaves behind daughter Charlotte Halliwell, who follwed her dad's footsteps to set up a performing arts academy in Bury, the Interchange Theatre, which he was a founding member of.
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