EMMERDALE is bringing back a major legend for Zak Dingle’s funeral – and it’s going to be bad news for Mandy.
The ITV soap will soon say goodbye to Zak after news reaches the village that the beloved patriarch has died in Scotland with granddaughter Debbie.
Lisa Riley has revealed there is a shock return for Emmerdale’s Zak Dingle’s funeral[/caption]
The star was collecting the award for best soap family for the Dingles[/caption]
Emmerdale will pay tribute to actor Steve Halliwell and his character Zak later this month[/caption]
Zak’s death comes after actor Steve Halliwell passed away last year with the soap paying tribute to the legend in the upcoming episodes.
Due to air later this month, the funeral episode was an emotional one with stars in tears filming.
But now Lisa has revealed that there’s a big return from the past turning up.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun at the Inside Soap Awards she said: “We filmed Steve’s memorial episode which goes out soon and it’s incredible.
“So so emotional. Tears all round. Really lovely though and for all us Dingles to be there.
“It was emotional to film but there is going to be someone coming from the past who will have repercussions for Mandy and Paddy and Vinnie especially moving forward.”
While she wouldn’t be drawn on who the big return is, she did rule out one – actress Adele Silva as Kelly Windsor.
But Lisa would love for her old pal to make a shock return.
“It’s not Adele!” she said.
“We’d love Kelly back! She’s amazing and we love her. I’d love her to come back.
“We meet up all the time for dinners, she’ll come to mine and she’s great.”
But overall Lisa’s happy to have turned her return to the dales into a full-time permanent comeback.
Most devastating soap deaths
SOAP viewers are frequently left heartbroken after watching some of their favourite characters bite the dust.
Here is a list of the most devastating deaths that have taken place in soapland over the years.
EASTENDERS
Barry Evans – Evil Janine (Charlie Brooks) lured her trusting fiance to Scotland for a quickie marriage after learning he was dying.
Her plan to inherit Barry’s fortune was thwarted when Barry told her that the doctors had mixed up his medical files.
Furious that she was no longer set for a windfall, she pushed Barry off a cliff after telling him their love was “fake”.
Bradley Branning – Bradley was accused of killing Stacey Slater’s rapist Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) after he punched him twice on the night he died.
He was spotted in the Square by a police woman who chased him up a fire escape.
Bradley lost his balance and tragically plunged to his death.
CORONATION STREET
Tina McIntyre – Tina was getting it on with Peter Barlow – despite him being married to Carla Connor.
When she threatened to reveal the truth, Carla’s brother Rob got into a physical altercation with her.
Tina lost her footing and fell off a balcony – then warned Rob she was going to tell the cops he pushed her.
In a panic, Rob brutally clobbered her over the head with a metal pipe.
Molly Dobbs – Molly was one of the victims in Corrie’s 2010 tram crash, alongside Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold).
Married to Tyrone (Alan Halsall), Molly had been having an affair with Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) in the months before her death.
This resulted in the birth of their son, Jack (Kyran Bowes), who was named after Jack Duckworth.
As fate would have it, Kevin’s wife Sally (Sally Dynevor) was by Molly’s side in her final moments.
Sally was stunned as Molly confessed Kevin was Jack’s father, before dying of her injuries.
Vera Duckworth – Having appeared regularly in Corrie since the 1970s, there was no denying Vera Duckworth was an iconic character.
Alongside her husband Jack, the pair formed one of the soap’s most beloved couples.
Viewers were heartbroken when Vera was killed off in 2008, being discovered having passed away peacefully in her chair.
Liz Dawn, who played Vera, made a brief return two years later for Bill Tarmey’s exit as Jack.
Paul Foreman – Fans were heartbroken when Paul Foreman succumbed to his illness after battling motor neurone disease.
Introduced in 2018 as David Platt’s (Jack P. Shepherd) cellmate, he later embarked on a romance – and marriage – with vicar Billy Mayhew.
The MND storyline was announced in 2023 – with the expectation it would result in the character’s death.
EMMERDALE
Sarah Sugden – After the family got into financial problems, Sarah’s son Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) decided to make some quick cash from an insurance company by setting fire to the Sugden barn.
He didn’t realise his mum was inside the building, and she got trapped in the blaze.
Nine villagers – The shocking 1993 plane crash episode brought in 18 million viewers for Emmerdale.
Mark Hughes was killed by a falling wall, Archie Brooks was burned by jet fuel, Elizabeth Pollard was killed by debris and newcomer Leonard Kempinski died in a car crash caused by the crash.
Five other non-recurring characters from the village also died.
HOLLYOAKS
Carmel McQueen – The talented singer died in shocking scenes when a train crashed into a her family’s car.
Carmel managed to free her cousin Theresa from the rubble – but got stuck in it herself.
Moments later the train exploded and Carmel died in the arms of her family members, promising to be their guardian angel.
She said: “What’s it like being part of the show after all these years? It’s amazing.
“I always say I don’t even feel like I had that gap off, every day I feel so lucky, it’s great and you never get bored.”
