Halliwell's first marriage to his childhood sweetheart Susan Woods in 1972 later ended in divorce.

In 1997 it was reported that Halliwell was searching for her. Halliwell had a child with his then-girlfriend whilst he was a student the child, a daughter, was given up for adoption. Halliwell remained in Emmerdale for 29 years, with his final scenes airing in June 2023. In 2014, Halliwell released his autobiography titled If The Cap Fits: My Rocky Road to Emmerdale. Together with Emmerdale co-stars Billy Hartman and Alun Lewis, he was a member of UK 1990s country rock trio the Woolpackers who released the single ' Hillbilly Rock Hillbilly Roll' in November 1996. In 1994, he joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Emmerdale as Zak Dingle.

Career ĭuring the first two decades of his career, Halliwell featured in a number of British television series, including Here I Stand, Threads, Cracker, Crown Court, G.B.H., Heartbeat and Coronation Street. He also spoke openly about his experiences with depression throughout this period of his life. He was sent to a prison in Ashford for two weeks and was later released on probation. Halliwell was once arrested for sleeping rough in an empty government building in London.

He was a founding member of the Interchange Theatre in Bury. Halliwell was an apprentice engineer and worked mainly in cotton and paper mills before drama training at the Mountview Theatre School. He had a brother, Clive, who was two years older. Stephen Harold Halliwell was born on 19 March 1946 in Bury, Lancashire to parents Fred and Jenny Halliwell. Stephen Harold Halliwell (19 March 1946 – 15 December 2023) was an English actor, best known for portraying the role of Zak Dingle in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, which he played from 1994 until his death in 2023.

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