Soap star's wills 'revealed' - from Dales legend's small sum to icon giving co-star £400k

Several soap stars from across the nation are sadly no longer with us.

In 2015, Coronation Street legend Anne Kirkbride tragically passed away and EastEnders fans were heartbroken in 2020 when Barbara Windsor breathed her last. In December of the previous year, Emmerdale's beloved Steve Halliwell, who portrayed Zak Dingle, died at the age of 77.

This week on the ITV soap, Zak's funeral is held. The storyline has been incorporated as a tribute to Steve - who played Zak for an impressive 29 years.

But what did these dearly departed soap stars leave behind? From a television icon reportedly bequeathing £400k to a co-star, to a soap favourite leaving thousands to various charities, reports Leeds Live.

Anne Kirkbride

Anne Kirkbride was one of Corrie's most iconic figures, portraying Deirdre Barlow from 1972 to 2014. She passed away in 2015 at the age of 60 after battling breast cancer. Reports suggest that Anne left her entire estate to her husband of 22 years, actor David Beckett, with whom she lived in Sale, Cheshire.

Probate records show that Anne left a gross estate of £186,651 in the UK, which was reduced to a net figure of £103,942 after liabilities such as loans and debts. The reasons why her estate was not larger are unknown - but it would not have included any cash held in joint accounts with her husband.

John Savident

John Savident, best known for his role as butcher Fred Elliot on Coronation Street from 1994 to 2006, sadly passed away in February 2024 at the age of 86. His estate, including £21,000 left in his will, was inherited by his widow, according to documents obtained by The Sun. John and Rona, who married in 1962, had two children and several grandchildren.

Barbara Windsor

Barbara Windsor, who portrayed the iconic Peggy Mitchell on EastEnders from 1994 to 2016, died in 2020 at the age of 83 after a battle with Alzheimer's. Reports suggest that her husband Scott Mitchell inherited £4.6 million of her estate, along with the company she used for her TV pay, reportedly worth almost £1 million.

Seven charities close to Barbara's heart also received donations totalling £1,000, including NSPCC, Breast Care, Help The Aged and Age UK.

Steve Halliwell

Steve Halliwell, who played Zak Dingle on Emmerdale from 1994 to 2023, tragically died in December last year at the age of 77. It is reported that Emmerdale stars could earn up to £2,000 per episode, which would have put Steve's annual salary at around £200,000. He was part of the Emmerdale cast for 29 years, from 1994 until his death.

However, probate documents reveal that the net value of Steve's estate was only £63,030. At the time he wrote his will in November 2019, he was residing at the St Helenas Caravan Park in Horsforth, near Leeds, West Yorkshire. In his will, he left all proceeds from his acting career, including future royalties, to his widow Valerie - his second wife - and daughter Charlotte, 40, as reported by NeedToKnow.

Anna Karen

Anna Karen shot to fame playing Aunt Sal on BBC's EastEnders. The actress appeared on the soap on-and-off from 1996 to 2017. In real life though, sadly actress Anna died in 2022 aged 85 in a fire at her home on Windsor Road, Ilford.

Not long after, it was claimed that Anna had left a huge chunk of cash to an EastEnders cast member - with the money being the majority of her estate. Probate records reveal that Anna left an estate of £427,197 when she passed away in February.

And reportedly, Sophie Lawrence, who played the role of Diane Butcher in EastEnders from 1988 until 1991, was left a whopping 65% of Anna's net estate, according to MailOnline. Anna and Sophie were close pals and even toured together previously when they both starred in the comedy show Bazaar and Rummage.