Steve Halliwell: 77-year-old Zak Dingle actor from Emmerdale passes away

At the age of 77, actor Steve Halliwell, best known for his enduring role as Emmerdale's Zak Dingle, passed away.

He debuted on the ITV soap opera for the first time in October 1994 and spent 29 years there.

His family released a statement stating that he died quietly in the company of his loved ones.

"He was making us laugh to the end, the most amazing father and grandfather you could ever wish for," they stated.

Leading the tributes to the late actor, James Hooton, who has been Halliwell's on-screen son Sam Dingle since 1995, referred to him as a "soap icon".

"Steve Halliwell was the first person I met when I walked through the door into the Emmerdale studios and we remained friends until the end,"