Actress Jane Cox is as happy as the rest of us that the pair are re-marrying
Emmerdale actress Jane Cox has spoken about her character Lisa Dingle’s forthcoming second marriage to Zak, and said that she believes the soap couple should never have split up in the first place.
Zak recently proposed to Lisa after she broke the news to her family that she was terminally ill with amyloidosis; a condition in which protein builds up in the tissues and organs, causing them to malfunction.
The couple first tied the knot in 1998, but split in 2015 when Zak left Lisa for family friend Joanie Wright, whom he later married. They reunited the following year when Zak came to his senses and realised that Lisa was the woman he really loved. Joanie then subsequently passed away from a heart attack.
The pair will exchange vows once again this coming Thursday.
Asked if she felt it was right that Lisa departed the village as Zak’s wife, 66 year old Jane told us: “Oh god yes, absolutely! I think she should always have been (his wife), and the fact that they marry again is something that the audience would want."
And, reflecting on Zak’s affair, she added: “I think it probably threw viewers. It was a curveball wasn’t it? Marriages are never all perfect, so maybe that was the catalyst for that, I don’t know really.
“It was difficult, it was about a year, wasn’t it (that they were apart). But I’m so glad they’re back together, that’s the important thing."
Co-star Steve Halliwell, who plays Zak, has agreed with the star’s sentiments. Speaking at a recent press event, the 73 year old admitted: “I was disappointed when Zak had an affair. I think it made a good story, but there was something about those two - us two - that I felt should remain solid.
“But that’s not up to me to decide, so you do the story and the scenes as best you can. So the fact that it ended sadly for the character (Joanie) because she died, I thought the one thing to do is get back with Lisa for the story and for the audience.
“They’d tell me in the streets: ‘What are you doing, going off with that other woman?’”
Emmerdale continues on ITV.
