Emmerdale legend set to exit the series after 16 years as shock death confirmed

After 16 memorable years connected Emmerdale, histrion Roxy Shahidi is bidding farewell to the beloved ITV soap.

Her quality Leyla Harding is acceptable to conscionable a melodramatic extremity fitting for the explosive character. 

The character, who made her accomplishment mode backmost successful 2008, is mum to Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) and the ex-wife of Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson).

The 41-year-old actress, who has been a staple connected the amusement since her debut, volition person her quality killed disconnected successful an aggravated exit storyline that promises to permission fans shaken.

The quality of Shahidi’s departure comes aft a stellar twelvemonth successful her career, which saw her instrumentality portion successful Dancing connected Ice and ITV’s world bid Drama Queens. 

A root adjacent to the histrion told The Sun of her excitement astir this caller chapter: ‘Roxy has adored her clip connected the soap and has made truthful galore blessed memories since archetypal joining erstwhile she was conscionable 17. 

‘The formed person go similar household to her, and she has grown truthful overmuch arsenic an actress. But now, she feels it’s the cleanable clip to dispersed her wings and effort thing new.’

While the details of Leyla Harding’s decease are being kept nether wraps, it’s wide that the storyline volition beryllium a large lawsuit successful Emmerdale. 

Shahidi is thrilled to person specified a almighty exit, with the root adding: ‘She’s truly excited astir her meaty exit storyline, which volition spot her quality Leyla dice connected screen. She’d alternatively spell retired successful a blaze of glory and beryllium remembered.’

Recently, fans spotted a large hint to her exit successful a erstwhile episode, which gave fans a glimpse into the aboriginal with 3 antithetic imaginable scenarios for Belle Dingle’s (Eden Taylor-Draper) future.

Fearing the worst, a idiosyncratic connected X wrote: ‘Emmerdale person known Roxy was leaving for ages, that flashforward occurrence wherever Belle and Suzy were co-owners of Take A Vow… nary motion of Leyla, that was astir apt the archetypal hint.’

Shahidi archetypal joined Emmerdale successful 2008, rapidly becoming a instrumentality favourite with her portrayal of Leyla, a charismatic wedding planner. 

Over the years, her quality has been astatine the bosom of respective melodramatic plotlines, from turbulent romances and household conflicts to overcoming idiosyncratic struggles similar addiction. 

In interviews, Roxy has often spoken fondly astir her clip connected the show. 

She precocious expressed her heavy emotion for Emmerdale, telling fans however overmuch she appreciates the accidental to play specified a dynamic quality for truthful long: ‘It’s been an unthinkable journey. The radical I’ve worked with implicit the years person go similar family, and I’ll ever cherish the memories we’ve made together.’

For fans, however, saying goodbye to Leyla Harding volition beryllium bittersweet arsenic her quality has been a fixture successful the Emmerdale colony for much than a decade.

It’s wide the histrion is acceptable to grow beyond Emmerdale.

‘She’s excited to effort thing new. This is conscionable the opening of a full caller section for her,’ the root concluded.

The quality comes aft fans noticed they were seeing overmuch little of Leyla.

Leyla’s beingness has been importantly quieter this year. Following the breakdown successful her matrimony to Liam, Leyla took centre signifier successful a storyline that highlighted her concealed addiction to drugs.

Last year, Leyla attempted to instrumentality down her cause trader Callum, but it resulted successful the antheral taking her hostage and tying her up successful a distant compartment successful the woods.

But arsenic the play settled down, we haven’t really seen Leyla astatine each this autumn, mounting the signifier for her imminent exit.

This nonfiction was archetypal published connected October 5, 2024.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a personage story, video oregon pictures get successful interaction with the Metro.co.uk amusement squad by emailing america [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 oregon by visiting our Submit Stuff leafage – we’d emotion to perceive from you.

MORE : 00s TV fable formed successful past ever bid of iconic show

MORE : Iconic EastEnders duo reunite aft 3 years successful adorable snap

MORE : EastEnders kid prima is simply a genius with astonishingly precocious IQ

This tract is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.