What happened to Emmerdale’s Dingle family – rare disease, mystery disappearance and harrowing death
ITV soap Emmerdale wouldn't be the same without the complex Dingle family, who have suffered their fair share of heartache and scandal over the years with dramatic storylines
As key players in the village, the Dingle family have made their mark in Emmerdale.
They’re one of the biggest families in the ITV soap and over the years, they’ve been embroiled in plenty of scandal, deception, and heartbreak. The complex family unit burst onto screens 30 years ago and members still remain as prominent figures in the Dales, with many of the actors who play them having gone on to become soap star legends.
It’s a big night for the Dingles tonight, as Beth ties the knot to Tom Knight in an hour-long special. But unlike Beth, several of the characters failed to get their happy ending. The Mirror takes a look at what happened to some of Dingles…
Zak Dingle
Zak Dingle, played by the late Steve Halliwell, was one of the original Dingles. The much-loved character was the son of farmer Jedediah and Peg Dingle – who had six children.
Steve Halliwell attending the British Soap Awards 2017 at The Lowry, Salford
Steve, who played soap icon Zak, died last year (
ITV)
Steve made his first appearance on the ITV serial drama in October 1994 and played the Dingle patriarch for 29 years, making him the show’s longest-serving cast member. His name became synonymous with Emmerdale.
Halliwell made his last appearance on the soap in June 2023 for a special week of episodes centred around the troublesome family. However on December 15, 2023, Steve passed away “peacefully with his loved ones around him” at the age of 77, his family said in a statement.
Announcing his death to fans, a spokesperson for ITV said it was ‘hard not to smile’ when thinking of the star. They said: “It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that Emmerdale can confirm that Steve Halliwell, our beloved Zak Dingle, has peacefully passed away.
“All our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and loved ones through this very difficult time, and we’d request that their privacy is respected as they grieve for his loss. 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 added: “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.”
The soap hinted at Zak’s health woes before Steve’s death, while the character was known to split his time between the village and Scotland. In January, he was finally referenced during a scene between Charity Dingle and Oscar, the grandson she didn’t know she had. As the pair chatted in the pub, Charity told him: “Ooh, wait until you meet Uncle Zak, now there’s a character. He’s up in Scotland at the minute.”
Lisa Dingle
Lisa Dingle endured her fair share of heartache during her time on the soap, including her divorce from Zak after 18 years of marriage when she discovered he had fallen for their lodger. Played by actress Jane Cox, she joined Emmerdale in 1996 before taking a sabbatical in 2018.
Jane has moved away from TV (
ITV)
The character returned a year later, where she was diagnosed with a rare disease – amyloidosis. But soon after, it was announced she was set to be killed off, with her last appearance on May 24, 2019.
Shadrach Dingle
Zak’s older brother Shadrach debuted in the village in 2000. Much like other Dingles, Shadrach, played by actor Andy Devine, was involved in many dramatic storylines, helping him achieve soap legend status.
Andy sadly died in 2022
The character tragically died in July 2010, when he drowned whilst attempting to retrieve some beer cans floating away in a river. Viewers were saddened by the death and over a decade later, it was announced that Andy had died at the age of 79 in an unfortunate incident.
A coroner ruled that Andy had died in January 2022 after an accidental fall. Andy, whose real name was Peter Devine, appeared to have “lost his balance resulting in a fall” and died in Southport Hospital in Merseyside on January 27.
Faith Dingle
Troubled character Faith had been played by two different actresses after she burst onto the scene in 2000. She was the scheming mother of Cain and Chas, and was known for her frequent lying. Most notably, she pushed Kim Tate off a balcony and finally admitted to it when defending Noah.
Emmerdale’s Faith Dingle made the devastating decision to end her life (
ITV)
In 2016, the character was devastatingly diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. Over fear of Kim’s revenge, she dramatically left the Dales before returning in 2021.
However just one year later, she was told her cancer had returned and that it was terminal. Choosing not to fight her impending death, she decided to end her own life by taking some pills in October 2022 in harrowing scenes, leaving viewers sobbing.
Cain Dingle
Cain first appeared in Emmerdale in 2000 before eventually being written out in 2006. The character shockingly discovered his uncle Zak was in fact his dad, who had a fling with his sister-in-law Faith.
Jeff Hordley has played Cain since 2000 (
ITV)
Cain, played by Jeff Hordley, made a comeback in 2009, and has remained in the soap ever since, continuing to lead with gripping storylines. He is notoriously the most hot-headed of the family, and has never shied away from his enemies.
The character was famously embroiled in a feud with the Dingle’s main rivals, the Tate family, while his love life has been just as tumultuous. Cain has had a string of flings in Emmerdale, including with his cousin Charity. Though he finally settled down in 2014 when he tied the knot with Moira Barton.
Chas Dingle
Chas, played by Lucy Pargeter, has been a firm favourite on the soap for more than two decades. Unlike other Dingles, Chas has been a staple character since 2002, however, her future has been questioned in recent times after her triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis.
Emmerdale’s Lucy Pargeter’s
The much-loved character is the daughter of the late Faith and Shadrach Dingle, and she is mum to Aaron Livesy, Grace Dingle and Eve Dingle. Similarly to her brother Cain, she is a key figure in the village and was formerly the co-owner of The Woolpack.
Over the course of her two decades on-screen, Chas has had many highs and lows, including her ill-fated romances that left her with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In 2018, the character found out she was pregnant with Paddy Kirk’s baby, and after initially wanting an abortion, came round to the idea of being a mum.
However she found out at the 23-week scan that the baby had suffered from Bilateral renal agenesis. The baby, named Grace, died in Chas’ arms shortly after the birth. The following year, the couple welcomed their miracle baby Eve, however it wasn’t meant to be for the parents. They split after he found out Chas had cheated on him with the late Al Chapman.
Marlon Dingle
Character Marlon has been at the very heart of village life since he arrived in 1996, and, having followed his various trials and tribulations over the years, many viewers almost feel as though they know him personally. The loveable character is played by 55-year-old Mark Charnock.
Mark Charnock plays loveable Marlon (
Instagram)
Most of Marlon’s tales have revolved around his love life, after he became Tricia Stokes’ widower. He has gone on to tie the knot with Donna Windsor, Laurel Thomas, Jessie Grant and eventually, Rhona Goskirk. In 2022, the character was involved in a hard-hitting storyline as he suffered from a stroke, which has has struggled to recover from.
Debbie Dingle
Charley walked from the soap in 2021 (
Mark Bruce)
Debbie was introduced to Emmerdale in 2002 as the foster child of Paddy and Emily Kirk before being revealed as the daughter of Charity and Cain Dingle. She has been portrayed by Charley Webb, who has been in and out of the role over the years as she created her own family off-screen.
After two decades of playing Debbie, the actress quit in 2021 to pursue other acting roles. And it didn’t take her long to land a part in ITV’s gripping crime drama The Long Shadow, which was based on the hunt for serial killer Peter Sutcliffe.
Following Debbie’s teen pregnancy storyline, she embarked on many doomed relationships. She last appeared in a surprise return to the village as she teamed up with Priya Kotecha to take revenge on Al Chapman after he secretly dated both of them at the same time. But after her mum revealed her plan, Debbie declared she was headed to Scotland to build a new life.
