Emmerdale fans were excited to have Zak Dingle back for the Dingles' Christmas meal after actor Steve Halliwell has been absent as of late.

The Dingle patriarch hasn't been seen too much recently, after returning to the village from Scotland, where he had been staying with Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb).

But as the rest of his family – including daughter Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper) and son Sam (James Hooton) – sat down for a festive feast, Zak was there at the head of the table.

READ MORE: Emmerdale's Tricia Dingle star looks very glamorous 18 years after tragic exit

Viewers were thrilled to have the character back on the screen, as he has been missing from much of the Dingle drama this year.

One said: "Good to see Zak on Christmas Day."

Another tweeted: "Not seen in a long time Zak! It's still weird to know that he's an old man now."

A third wrote: "So lovely to see Zak."

And someone else added: "Zak [smiling emojis] Great to see."

Later in the episode, Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) was mentioned as he rang Paddy to say Merry Christmas.

The Dingles have been at the centre of Emmerdale in recent months – as they often are.

Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) was left devastated after Al Chapman (Michael Wildman), with whom she was having an affair, was shot and killed.

Viewers know that little Kyle was the shooter, however his dad Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) took the blame and is being held in prison.

The affair was later exposed when Belle realised Chas and Al had kept seeing each other, with Chas's husband Paddy (Dominic Brunt) finding out and ending things.

The duo have been left struggling to work through with co-parenting their young daughter.

Meanwhile, Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) has been getting back to work after his stroke.

And Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) is set to get married to Mack Boyd (Lawrence Robb), but is as yet completely unaware that he got Chloe Harris (Jessie Elland) pregnant.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV

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