Emmerdale's Lisa Riley talks about Zak Dingle memorial episode
Emmerdale's Lisa Riley has opened up about the upcoming emotional tribute to Zak Dingle following the shock death of actor Steve Halliwell.
The TV legend sadly passed away on December 15 last year and ITV soap bosses have confirmed that a special episode will air to honour the iconic character.
Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle, appeared on ITV's Lorraine on Thursday (August 15) to discuss Mandy's upcoming wedding to Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt)
However, conversation later turned to the soap's tribute to Zak. Presenter Ranvir Singh asked: "There's a tribute to Zak Dingle coming up isn't there?""
Lisa said: "Yeah, we started shooting the memorial episode Monday just gone and our beloved Steve Halliwell, who was like my father for years on the show and taught me so much, we're doing dedicated episode to him and he deserves it. He is the ultimate icon of Emmerdale and the king of the Dingle family. He deserves everyting and more and we'll do him proud."
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Lisa's appearance on Lorraine came less than 24 hours after her co-star Dominic appeared on Loose Women and discussed their close bond away from the soap cameras.
Dominic told the panel that he made up a fib to in order to woo Lisa back to the village after the actress decided to take a break from the soap from 2001 and 2019.
Panelist Denise Welsh said: "Of course, as well as Paddy and Mandy, you and the lovely Lisa are great friends in real life. Of course you are, and when she left for a time you tried to lure her back but you told her a little porky to her didn't you to get her back?"
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Dominic admitted: "Yeah, I just told an outright lie. She said: 'Is it still full on?' I think we were filming two or three episodes at the point when she left and I was like 'It's calm and you can be busy and then can go quiet' and then two years on, she was going 'you lied to me'. I just wanted her back because I really missed her."
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm
