Emmerdale star 'lets slip' returning Dingle character is 'not to be trusted'

Emmerdale viewers were left stunned on Thursday night when Tina Dingle, a long-lost relative, showed up at Zak Dingle's funeral.

The Dingle family suffered a heartbreaking loss on Tuesday night when they found out about the death of their patriarch, Zak.

Steve Halliwell, who played Zak, sadly died last December at the age of 77. The actor had been bringing the iconic Zak to life since 1994 and quickly became a fan favourite.

Following Steve's death, the soap's writers have crafted a poignant death storyline for the much-loved actor and character, with Thursday's episode airing an emotional funeral.

However, during the intimate family event, long-lost relative and Zak's daughter Tina, played by Samantha Power, showed up at the funeral, leaving the family shocked, reports .

Tina first appeared on Emmerdale in 1994 but left two years later, in 1996. The character was originally portrayed by Jacqueline Pirie, but now actress Samantha has taken over the role.

Teasing what viewers can expect, Samantha said of Tina: "Well, she has no filters, and she will literally do anything to make sure she gets her way, including her claim to the house. She is not one to be trusted! I loved it!" She added: "She is feisty, bolshy, selfish, and she always seems to have an agenda and won't stop at anything to get what she wants!"

Talking about memorable moments on set, she added: "There was one specific scene with Lisa where I was face down in a pool of mud. That was extremely memorable, and I loved every second of it. There was also a scene which involved an explosion, which was so impressive."

Samantha also revealed her link to several Emmerdale cast members. She explained, "I was lucky that I had worked with some of the cast and crew before! I worked with Zoe Henry (Rhona) at the West Yorkshire Playhouse (now Leeds Playhouse), and I worked with Jeff Hordley (Cain) and Will Ash (Caleb) at Bolton Octagon!

"I worked with Ruth on Sound on Brassic Series 6 and Warren and Si on props on Ackley Bridge and Clare Makeup designer on a BBC Sitcom years ago, so it was lovely to have lots of familiar faces around when I started."

Emmerdale continues on weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV and ITV X, with hour-long episodes on Thursdays.