Tears and tirades as Emmerdale says farewell to Joanie Wright

Emmerdale fans will watch emotional scenes tonight as the villagers say their final farewells to Joanie Wright.
Zak Dingle played by Steve Haliwell who is paying his respects during the funeral service for his estranged wife Joanie Wright, as Kerry Wyatt (left) played by Laura Norton tearfully rants at him for letting down Joanie both in life and death, during an episode of Emmerdale. PIC: PAZak Dingle played by Steve Haliwell who is paying his respects during the funeral service for his estranged wife Joanie Wright, as Kerry Wyatt (left) played by Laura Norton tearfully rants at him for letting down Joanie both in life and death, during an episode of Emmerdale. PIC: PA
Zak Dingle played by Steve Haliwell who is paying his respects during the funeral service for his estranged wife Joanie Wright, as Kerry Wyatt (left) played by Laura Norton tearfully rants at him for letting down Joanie both in life and death, during an episode of Emmerdale. PIC: PA

These first look images show the shock and grief becoming too much for Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell) who is paying his respects during the funeral service for his estranged wife.

But heartbroken Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton) has no sympathy for Zak as she tearfully rants at him for letting down Joanie (Denise Black) both in life and death.

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Viewers were stunned by Joanie’s sudden death last week when she had a heart attack just after being released from prison for assaulting a police officer.

She had been collected by Lisa Dingle (Jane Cox) who was married to Zak when he left her for Joanie and who had given her a lift home from prison to tell her that she was getting back together with Zak.

Just after she revealed that Zak was sending a solicitor’s letter to start divorce proceedings, Joanie suffered a heart attack in the car and died.

Black played Joanie in the ITV soap for a short stint in 2013 and then returned in June 2015.

She had previously starred in the channel’s other soap, Coronation Street, as Denise Osbourne from 1992 to 1997 with a return in 2007, and will be taking up the role again later this year.