Curse of Emmerdale's Dingle family stars - deaths, surgery agony and divorce
Life for the cast of Emmerdale has been as dramatic off-screen as it is on for those who play a part in the Dingle family.
The complex and often troubled family are very much at the heart of the village, with members usually at the centre of dramatic storylines. The Dingles along with the actors who play the iconic characters have become synonymous with the ITV soap, with many of them enduring their roles for more than two decades.
For some of the stars though, it's been a difficult journey away from the cameras. From tragic deaths and frightening diagnoses to difficult divorces, The Mirror takes a look at the tough times in the lives of those who have played a role as one of the famous Dingles.
Tragic death
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. Halliwell made his last appearance on the soap in June 2023 for a special week of episodes centred around the troublesome family.
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Just months late in December, 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."
Life-changing loss
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. But the actress who played her, Jane Cox, who joined Emmerdale in 1996, has also suffered heartbreaking loss in recent years.
Jane has moved away from TV (ITV)Jane quit the soap in 2019 after evaluating her life following the sad loss of her mother. Speaking of her decision to leave, she revealed: "It is long, long days and then you don’t have time in the evenings because you have lines to learn for the next day. My mum died a couple of years ago, so it does make you think a lot about the big things in life."
Since quitting the Dales, Jane has tried writing a book but has now taken up an entirely different career. A new path in life saw her retrain in alternative health therapy reflexology.
In 2019 Jane spoke to Inside Soap about the change in career: "Well, I wanted to slow down a bit, and I'm currently doing a course in reflexology."
Frightening diagnosis
Cain Dingle 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 with wife Zoe (Zoe Henry Twitter)Cain, played by Jeff Hordley, made a comeback in 2009, and has remained in the soap ever since, continuing to lead with gripping storylines. Away from the Dales, the 53-year-old from Crumpsall, Manchester, is married to his co-star Zoe Henry, who plays Rhona Goskirk on the show.
But over the years, he has battled with a painful diagnosis of Crohn's Disease. He started with symptoms when he was just 20 years old but didn't receive an official diagnosis until shortly before his 26th birthday, having previously believed he had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
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This diagnosis proved to be particularly distressing for Jeff, as his own mother had died from the illness when he was just nine years old. In a column penned for the Mirror back in 2015, Jeff recalled: "Lying in a hospital bed being told I had Crohn's Disease was one of the most frightening experiences of my life.
"When I was just nine, my mum had died from the very same illness. My reaction was, 'Am I going to die too?' It was a week before my 26th birthday. I'd suffered stomach cramps and diarrhoea for six years but it had never crossed my mind there was a connection."
After suffering 'episodes of horrendous stomach pains and vomiting' for some years, Jeff's condition worsened at the age of 25, when he was still in his final year of drama school, causing him to drop from 12 stone to just nine stone. At the time, he worried about how his then-girlfriend Zoë Henry would react, but she couldn't have been more supportive.
Jeff continued: "I was a young boy when she passed away in 1979, but I've since learned her death was caused by a complication of surgery rather than the illness itself. The doctors assured us things had moved on and it's now treated with steroids and anti-inflammatories to calm the bowel and prevent damage.
"However, they told me I'd need surgery to remove the diseased part of the large bowel. And they warned I might need a colostomy bag, on a temporary basis, to give the gut a chance to heal. That was a big deal. Zoë and I had been together for only 18 months after meeting at drama school. I was worried about how she'd react. But she was brilliant and said, 'Listen, this is going to be fine'."
Fatal fall
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 2022The 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 the actor 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.
A statement from Sefton Senior Coroner Julie Goulding said: "He was unable to get up until his carers arrived to assist him which was about an hour later. Peter had a significant number of serious underlying clinical co-morbidities and not withstanding all appropriate care and treatment, Peter's condition deteriorated culminating in his death."
After the passing of Andy, Liam O'Brien, who played Ethan Blake in Emmerdale for three years, said: "Heartbroken to hear of the passing of an old friend. Even sadder that he passed in January and never knew.
"I was by the sea now when heard the news and Andy Devine was a sailor through and through. Gods rest ye pal. Second star to the right. Straight on 'til morning."
Painful weight loss
Mandy is Zak's niece and the daughter of Caleb and Vera-Lynn Dingle. She is one of the earliest cast members of the clan, joining Emmerdale in 1995. She appeared as the character until 2001, before making a big return in 2019.
A thrilled Lisa Riley shows her post-surgery body to her best friend KateFrom 1998 to 2002, the star replaced Jeremy Beadle as the presenter of You've Been Framed! In recent times, the actress was determined to make a positive change in her life, and amazed fans after revealing she'd lost 12 stone over an 18-month period, slimming down from a size 28 to a size 12.
However, her significant lifestyle change was only the beginning of her path towards feeling comfortable in her body, with her weight loss leaving her feeling like a "saggy mess". In her 2017 documentary, Lisa Riley's Baggy Body Club, the soap star admitted she was left feeling "revolted" by her own appearance.
Lisa, 47, recalled: "When I made the decision to lose weight, I never for one second imagined that I would end up looking like that. It never occurred to me that the loose skin would be so bad. I thought why on earth have I lost all this weight? I looked worse than I did when I was obese. And it was the pain as well. The skin was flapping about and dragging."
The actress, who was initially apprehensive about surgery, underwent four operations in total, including a fleur de lis tummy tuck, surgery to remove loose skin from her thighs, a boob lift, and "bingo wings" removal. It took Lisa several months to recover, but she's now finally happy with her own reflection.
Co-star split and cheating claims
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.
Four years after Charley, 35, joined the cast of the ITV soap, Matthew Wolfenden landed the role of David Metcalfe in the Dales. As a relationship blossomed between the pair, Matthew proposed on set in 2009, before they eventually married nine years later.
The celebrity couple welcomed three sons into the world between 2010 and 2019, but announced they had gone their separate ways in a statement at the end of last year following weeks of speculation. The 43-year-old has since denied rumours he cheated on Charley.
The actor grew close to his co-star Heather Scott-Martin and has been seen on several romantic outings. In a recent report, it was claimed Matthew started dating Heather before he split from his wife.
He then took to Instagram, writing: "Just to set the record straight. This (so called) reporting is an out and out LIE! Can you leave us alone now?" He also wrote: "Glad to get that off my chest! And if you want to come see us both in Elf - click the link for tickets!"
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.
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