Where Emmerdale fans have seen Tina Dingle star Samantha Power before - from Brassic to Corrie

Emmerdale viewers were treated to a dramatic twist on Thursday night as Tina Dingle, a returning member of the Dingle family, made a surprise comeback.

The Dingle clan was dealt a devastating blow on Tuesday night when they learned of the death of their patriarch, Zak Dingle.

Steve Halliwell, who portrayed Zak, tragically passed away last December at the age of 77. The actor had been bringing the beloved character Zak to life since 1994 and quickly became a fan favourite.

In the wake of Steve's passing, Emmerdale has crafted an emotional death storyline for the much-loved actor's character, with Thursday's episode featuring an emotional funeral.

However, during the private family gathering, Zak's long-lost daughter Tina, played by Samantha Power, made an unexpected appearance at the funeral, leaving the family stunned, reports Leeds Live.

Tina first graced Emmerdale in 1994 but departed two years later, in 1996. The character was initially played by Jacqueline Pirie, but now actress Samantha has taken over the role.

Soap fans will recognise actress Samantha, who has featured in numerous television roles over the years. Samantha has starred in Little Britain, Brassic, and even rival soap Coronation Street.

The actress portrayed Jane in Little Britain from 2004 to 2006. Additionally, Samantha played Emma Baxter in Corrie in 1995 before making a return to the soap in 2015 as Talisa Grady.

Samantha, best known for her portrayal of Simone Booth in Ackley Bridge from 2017 to 2021, has more recently made waves as Donna in the popular Sky comedy series Brassic since 2023.

It comes as Samantha shared her link to Emmerdale, saying: "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!"

She continued, detailing more collaborations: "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.