British soap legend Steve Halliwell has died at the age of 77.
Steve will be best remembered for his performance as Zak Dingle in Emmerdale, a role he had played since debuting on the soap in 1994.
On Friday afternoon, ITV announced in a statement: “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.”
Steve’s family also shared a statement, which read: “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.”
Prior to joining Emmerdale, Zak’s acting credits included Cracker, Crown Court and Coronation Street.
In 2014, he released a memoir about his career and experiences on the soap, titled The Cap Fits: My Rocky Road To Emmerdale.