“The funeral has got Dingles written all over it.”

Emmerdale spoilers follow.

Emmerdale actor Jeff Hordley has teased more details about Zak Dingle’s death storyline.

Steve Halliwell, who played Zak, passed away last December and the soap will pay tribute to him and Zak on-screen over the coming weeks, as the Dingle family learn of Zak’s death and organise a funeral for him, with a long-lost relative due to turn up.

Speaking about the scenes, Hordley explained that his character Cain will be shocked by the news of Zak’s death, as it comes after he has just returned from visiting Zak in Scotland.

“He’s trying to process it,” the actor said, adding that the fact Cain recently saw Zak is “a huge comfort… if you’ve seen someone just before, then it can make it easier.”

Viewers will see Cain go to multiple family members and tell them about Zak’s passing one by one, with each Dingle reacting in different ways. This will lead to Cain, Belle, and Sam getting together to reflect.

“I’m sure it’s pretty much a dedicated episode where they just stay up one night and talk about what’s going on in their lives, and relate it all to Zak, and talk about Zak as well. It’s a really lovely episode,” he said.

“It reminded me a lot of the lockdown two-hander episodes that we had where it’s just characters talking. It’s a bit like doing a play, it’s quite intense.

“Sam and Cain go up to Scotland to bring Zak home, and the funeral takes place very soon after. The funeral has got Dingles written all over it. That’s all I can tell you, really.

“If you could say shotgun wedding or shotgun funeral, you’d kind of get a picture of what it’s like…”

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.