James Hooton, who plays Sam Dingle on Emmerdale, recently appeared on ITV’s Loose Women where he shared his emotions about the passing of his co-star Steve Halliwell, known for his role as Zak Dingle on the show.
During the discussion, Hooton and his on-screen son Sam Hall, who plays Samson, talked about their current storyline involving Samson falsely accusing Matty Barton of stabbing him. This led to Matty’s arrest and incarceration on the show.
The conversation then turned to Steve Halliwell, who had been a part of Emmerdale since October 1994 and passed away peacefully at the age of 77 in December 2023. Hooton, a veteran of the soap opera for 30 years, paid tribute to Halliwell and revealed that the show will honor Zak Dingle with a dedicated storyline that will begin filming soon.
Christine Lampard, the host of Loose Women, mentioned the upcoming storyline honoring Zak Dingle, which received applause from the audience and panel. Hooton shared that filming for this storyline is set to start in August and that it will respectfully address the passing of the iconic character.
Reflecting on Halliwell’s death, Hooton expressed his feelings about losing a good friend and the impact it has on the cast. He mentioned that Halliwell’s funeral took place earlier this year, and the storyline will pay tribute to the beloved actor.
The conversation on Loose Women highlighted the significance of Halliwell’s contribution to Emmerdale and the impact his character had on the show. As the cast prepares to film the storyline in honor of Zak Dingle, the memories of Steve Halliwell continue to resonate with those who knew and worked with him.
Emmerdale fans can look forward to seeing how the show pays tribute to Zak Dingle and celebrates the legacy of Steve Halliwell in the upcoming episodes. The emotional discussion on Loose Women gave viewers a glimpse into the bond between the cast members and the respect they have for their late colleague.