Emmerdale real life deaths – health issues, sudden tragedies and four-week battle

Emmerdale is renowned for its heart-wrenching plots that tackle death and other tragedies.

This week, soap fans said goodbye to Zak Dingle, who died off-screen following the death of actor Steve Halliwell in December 2023. This week also happens to be the anniversary of the first ever episode, which aired on October 16, 1972.

Over its 52-year history, the characters in the Dales have experienced numerous tragedies but these don’t stop when the cameras do.

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In recent times, the real-life experiences of cast members have echoed their on-screen storylines, with several of the show’s iconic stars passing away.

From a four-week battle with cancer to untimely deaths at the age of 31, Daily Star has compiled a list of Emmerdale actors who have passed away in recent years.

Leah Bracknell

Leah Bracknell portrayed the enduring character Zoe Tate on Emmerdale for a span of 16 years.

The actress made her debut in 1989 and featured in more than 1,400 episodes before leaving the soap permanently in 2005.

In 2016, Leah disclosed that she had been diagnosed with stage 4 terminal lung cancer. Due to limited options on the NHS, Leah’s husband Jez Hughes set up a fundraising page to help her seek treatment abroad.

Thanks to the generosity of fans, more than £50,000 was raised to fund her treatment in Germany. However, Leah announced that her cancer treatment had ceased to be effective, and she died at the age of 55 in 2019.

In her last blog post, the actress penned a poem titled A Cancer Rebel’s Manifesto for Life, where she described her transition from being a cancer “victim” to a “rebel”.

“For I am a CANCER REBEL with a fierce heart, an independent mind, a warrior spirit, and an ocean of desire to keep on keeping on and making a difference and making a noise as long as there is sweet breath in my body,” she said.

“To LIFE. Long and sweet may it be for us all.”

Sam Gannon

Tragic news hit the soap world as Sam Gannon, known for his brief stint on Emmerdale, passed away suddenly at the tender age of 31 while on his travels in California, back in August 2022.

The young actor made his mark playing Kev, a charismatic horse-drawn carriage coachman, in two episodes back in 2019, where he starred alongside Emma Atkins, who plays Charity Dingle.

At the time of his untimely passing, Sam was visiting relatives in Willows, California.

Angela Gannon, Sam’s grieving mother, opened up to the BBC about her son’s lifelong heart condition that had “reared its ugly head” in the months leading to his death.

She shared her heartache: “You just don’t expect these things to happen, especially to a young man of 31 who was having the time of his life. He was having a great time, up in the mountains shooting tin cans, building stables for horses.”

Authorities confirmed that there was nothing suspicious surrounding Sam’s death.

Andy Devine

In another sorrowful loss for Emmerdale fans, Andy Devine, who became a household name as Shadrach Dingle, passed away. The soap legend graced the Dales for a decade.

The character of Shadrach, a loveable rogue, met his end in 2010 in a poignant episode that saw him succumb to a tragic drowning, highlighting the grim reality of alcohol abuse.

Andy Devine’s death was announced in May 2022, at the age of 79, following complications from “hospital-acquired pneumonia” after suffering a fall. The announcement came months after his actual death on January 27.

Sefton Senior Coroner Julie Goulding revealed the soap star had a tragic fall, lying on the floor for about an hour “unable to get up until his carers arrived”.

She detailed how Andy’s condition spiralled afterwards, “culminating in his death” at Southport Hospital.

His Emmerdale co-star Liam O’Brien, famed for his role as Ethan Blake, expressed his sorrow: “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 I heard the news and Andy Devine was a sailor through and through.”

Shirley Stelfox

English actress Shirley Stelfox, adored for her portrayal of Dales’ own Edna Birch for a solid 15 years, became an icon with her love for dogs, penchant for gossip, and ever-present signature hat.

Edna burst onto the scene in 2000, becoming a staple character until 2015, before she succumbed to ovarian cancer in hospital.

But the real-life sorrow struck as Shirley Stelfox faced a heart-wrenching end, passing away from terminal cancer just four weeks post-diagnosis in 2015.

John Whiston, ITV’s creative director for soaps back then, lamented: “The family here at Emmerdale are deeply saddened by Shirley’s passing. It is hard to imagine Emmerdale without her.

“We offer our condolences to Shirley’s family and share our feeling of loss with the millions of viewers who will miss Edna enormously.”

Kitty McGeever

Kitty McGeever broke new ground when she landed the role of Lizzie Lakely in Emmerdale, becoming the first blind actress to be cast in a British soap opera.

She first appeared on the show in 2009 and stayed for four years, with Emmerdale producer Kate Oates revealing that there had been plans for her to return shortly after her departure.

However, this never came to fruition as the actress tragically passed away at the age of 48 in 2015.

Kitty had been diagnosed with diabetes as a teenager and developed pre-eclampsia while pregnant with her son, Felix, who was born in 2001. When Felix developed health issues at four months, Kitty also fell ill due to stress.

The actress suffered from heart problems, kidney failure, and diabetic retinopathy, which led to her loss of sight.

It was later revealed that Kitty was awaiting a kidney transplant when she died and had requested that her organs be donated.

Kate Oates said: “Sadly she ran out of time on that, but what she did do was donate her liver and also her corneas, so Kitty’s family and Kitty have hopefully given the gift of life to someone else through this tragedy, which I think is just a wonderful thing.”

Paula Tilbrook

Paula Tilbrook is one of the most iconic Emmerdale stars, playing Betty Eagleton from 1994 until 2015. She was known for being the village gossip and adoring wife of Seth Armstrong (played by Stan Richards, who died in 2005 aged 74).

The actress had only been signed up for three episodes, but went on to be the longest-running female character at the time of her exit. She retired in 2015, but returned briefly that Christmas via Skype to speak to her old neighbours.

Sadly, Paula died on December 1, 2019. However, her death was not announced by her family until July 2020.

Steve Halliwell

When you think of Emmerdale, you can’t help but think of Zak Dingle. Steve played loveable rogue Zak from 1994 until 2023, when his final scenes aired in June.

Tragically, he died at the age of 77 on December 15, 2023 after suffering from ill health. His family released a statement which said Steve died “peacefully with his loved ones around him”.

Many of his co-stars paid tribute, including on-screen niece Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle. She thanked him for “years of laughter” and spoke of how much the cast “adored, loved and respected” him.

On-screen, Zak’s death was confirmed in October 2024, having died away from the village, with his son Cain having to break the sad news to the family.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk