ITV Emmerdale fans claim soap 'forgot' about missing Dingle after Zak's death

Emmerdale enthusiasts have been left puzzled over the absence of a certain character following the demise of Zak Dingle, portrayed by Steve Halliwell.

The Dales were left in shock last week when Moira Dingle, played by Natalie Robb, was delivered the heartbreaking news that Zak had passed away at his residence in Scotland.

In reality, actor Steve sadly died in December of the previous year, aged 77. As a result of Steve's death, soap chiefs confirmed a concluding storyline for the iconic character, leaving viewers tearful.

Zak's death brought back ghosts from the Dingle's past as Tina, played by Samantha Power, made her first appearance in nearly thirty years with two major revelations.

In a confrontation, she asserted her desire for a portion of her father's estate before revealing to Mandy, portrayed by Lisa Riley, that she is the biological mother of Vinny Dingle, played by Bradley Johnson.

Since the funeral, Cain has been grappling with the loss of his father Zak, reports Leeds Live.

The mechanic has now assumed the role of the head of the Dingle family and on Monday (October 21), donned his father's signature flat cap as he stepped into the role of the family's new patriarch.

However, fans are left questioning why Nathan Dingle, Zak's eldest son, did not make an appearance for the funeral.

Nathan, the offspring of Zak and Nellie Dingle, played by Sandra Gough, has never been seen on-screen, but his name has been mentioned throughout the years.

Tina Dingle, played by Jacqueline Pirie, made references to her brother in the 90s before he was mentioned once more at Butch's (Paul Loughran) funeral. Speculations are rife that Nathan has severed ties with the Dingles entirely, and his current location remains a mystery.

An Emmerdale enthusiast posed a question on Reddit: "Is Nathan Cain's brother ever gonna turn up in the village? ".

One person responded, "He was only ever mentioned, not seen, and I think the last time his name was spoken was way back in the nineties. I honestly think he's been erased from existence."

Another fan expressed hope: "I hope so! ! The show could do with a few more Dingles to fill up the village! ! ".

A fellow viewer corrected some confusion, saying, "He's actually Sam and Tina's brother. He's only Cain's half-brother".

One viewer pondered the potential for an interesting plot: "Are they ever gonna cast Nathan Dingle Cain's brother to turn up seeing as he's never been onscreen as well that could be a good storyline to pursue for em and it'd have a lot of potential".

The debate took an unexpected turn when one fan hinted at a grim theory: "It seems he died and writers have definitely forgot he existed."

The puzzle surrounding Nathan Dingles mysterious past and very existence is something Emmerdale's fans are keen to unravel. Will the truth ever surface?

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX