Leyla's sister Alicia Harding

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson plans to return to the soap by the end of the year.

The actress, who plays Alicia Gallagher in the ITV1 soap, announced her pregnancy in March and later confirmed that she is expecting a boy.

Alicia punches Val Pollard (Charlie Hardwick) in an upcoming episode after her opportunity to confess her love to David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) is dashed. It is later revealed that Alicia has broken the terms of a previous suspended sentence and will go to jail.

Anderson told the Sunday Mail: "I really thought they would say, 'She's gone off in a taxi to see her sister', something really normal, and that would be that. Then this elaborate story came about with a previous conviction and I was going, 'Thank you'. I just thought it was brilliant.

"I felt privileged they had thought of it that way. The producers have been amazing in the fact they have said I can take as long as I want to. I am not under any pressure. Personally, I love my job, and I am thinking maybe I want to come back towards the back end of the year.

"My husband works from home so the baby will only be with his dad. But obviously it is not set in stone yet, because my feelings could well completely change."

The singer-songwriter added: "First and foremost my priorities are my baby, then Emmerdale. Whatever they need me for I'm there, absolutely. I have an album worth of material I wanted to put out earlier this year but priorities change when you get pregnant."

Emmerdale's Alicia Gallagher is left distraught this evening (May 29) as she hears that she is likely to face a prison sentence.

As Alicia (Natalie Anderson) heads to court to give a plea after hitting Val, the proceedings are more complicated than expected due to the barmaid's history.

Although she is granted bail, Alicia is forced to make a shocking confession to David (Matthew Wolfenden) outside court, explaining that she has a previous conviction for GBH after assaulting one of her mum's carers when she was still alive.

Alicia hopes this won't mean a harsher punishment when the case reaches crown court, but her solicitor has a bleak warning - the most likely outcome is a stint in jail...

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Emmerdale airs tonight at 7pm on ITV1.

Emmerdale star Matthew Wolfenden has confirmed that there is a sham wedding on the way for his character David Metcalfe and Woolpack barmaid Alicia Gallagher.

David comes up with the scam later this month, as Alicia wants to make sure that young Jacob will live with him rather than his dad Justin when she is sent to jail.

Alicia quickly agrees to the idea, but is conflicted as she continues to harbour genuine feelings for David.

Wolfenden told All About Soap: "It happens when they're sat together drinking wine one evening. Alicia's broken down in tears, talking about how Jacob is going to have to live with his father and his new stepmum, who he hates. Then she says it's unfair that, just because Justin's married, it's taken for granted he can provide a better home for Jacob.

"Something is triggered in David's head, so that's when he decides in a bit of a drunken stupor to say, 'Why don't we get married then?'"

He continued: "[Alicia's] shocked, mostly because she's actually totally in love with David and he, as dopey as he is, is completely blind to it and doesn't see this gorgeous girl has fallen for him. He just sees her as his mate and the truth is, he's not proposing for Alicia - he's doing it to keep custody of the little lad."

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Wolfenden added that Justin later backs down in the custody wrangle. However, Alicia fails to share this crucial piece of information with David as she still wants to marry him.

He confirmed: "There's an extra twist because Alicia finds out David could have custody of Jacob anyway, because Justin backs down, but she still goes ahead and marries him regardless. That all comes out, as does the fact she loves him - it's all going to be revealed!"

Natalie Anderson, who plays Alicia, will soon leave screens temporarily as she has gone on maternity leave.

It seems to me that Alicia wants David to keep Jacob so she has a hold over him and can stay with him again when she gets out of jail as she loves David she wants a be tied to him she really should be doing what is best for Jacob which surely is to live with his dad

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Originally Posted by tammyy2j

she really should be doing what is best for Jacob which surely is to live with his dad

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agreed, but that said Justin is a crrepy toad. As soon as Alicia mentions the Court case/prison etc he is straight in there almost using it as a points scoring exercise and a reason to have Jacob full time?

the bestthing for Jacob would be told about the prison issue, stay where he is with friends and school etc until it happens, and then go to Justin/David, whcihever can give him a stable enviroment with continuity?

Justin was all for packing his bags there and then??!!

Pregnant Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has spoken of her obsession with maternity ward reality show One Born Every Minute.

The actress, who plays the feisty Alicia Gallagher on the soap and announced in March that she is expecting a son, told the Daily Mirror that she watches the Channel 4 documentary series in order to relax.

She claims: "At night if I'm getting a bit anxious, [my husband'll] say, 'Go and have a bath... and get your iPad and watch One Born Every Minute and you'll be fine'.

"I'm obsessed with it, because I want to prepare myself. It does scare me a bit, but it doesn't put me off childbirth.

"If anything, it's done me the world of good and made me more empowered. I'm actually really looking forward to having the baby now."

Pregnancy will mean the 30-year-old actress will be written out of Emmerdale for up to a year, with viewers set to see her leave the soap in a cliffhanger next month.

A recent episode saw Alicia lose her temper and punch Val Pollard in the face, resulting in her being taken away by police.

However, due to a previous assault conviction, there is the possibility she could face jail time, something that could have dire repercussions for her relationships with her son and best friend David.

Emmerdale's Natalie Anderson has admitted that filming a love plot with Alicia left her tearful.

The actress, who is pregnant in real life with her first child, said her hormones have made her emotional about her character's heartbreak over David.

David proposed to Alicia earlier this month in an attempt to help her keep her child Jacob. She goes ahead with the scam wedding next week, despite her knowledge that ex Justin is not fighting for custody.

Speaking to Inside Soap, Anderson conceded: "It made me cry! As a viewer, I think you're going to see all the happiness and then all the heartbreak play out."

On the eve of the ceremony, David vows to a hurt Alicia that they will divorce swiftly.

The star added of the wedding aftermath: "She's really heartbroken. She just says, 'Get me a drink!' That comment brings Alicia straight back down to earth.

"She'd love the fairytale that's going on in her head to be real, but that's not going to happen."

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has welcomed the arrival of her first child.

The actress, best known for her soap role as Alicia Gallagher, gave birth to a baby boy in the early hours of this morning (August 1).

Anderson and husband James Shepherd have not yet named the child, who weighed in at 6lb 5oz, Hello reports.

The Emmerdale press team tweeted: "Lovely baby news! @AndersonNatalie has given birth to a gorgeous boy! Congratulations Natalie and James."

Anderson announced her pregnancy back in March, before confirming the sex of her baby a few days later.

Emmerdale viewers recently saw Alicia receive a prison sentence for attacking Val Pollard, taking her off screen while Anderson is on maternity leave.

The feisty barmaid is expected to return to the village by the end of the year.

Natalie Anderson has revealed the name of her baby boy.

The Emmerdale star confirmed that she has named her son Freddie George James Shepherd.

The actress gave birth to her first child with husband James Shepherd on Wednesday (August 1).

"We have a beautiful baby boy born this morning and we are all doing really well," she told Hello.

Talking about how they hope to raise their first child together, she said: "The most important thing for both of us as parents will be making sure our child feels loved.

"We think it is important to be strict - not in a horrible way, but strict with ourselves, too, in that we don't spoil our child."

Anderson explained that she plans on returning to Emmerdale as feisty barmaid Alicia Gallagher in the near future, while her husband will continue to work from home as a financial services consultant.

She said that the arrangement was so that he could spend more time with his wife, but added: "We also thought that, when we had a family, it'd be great to always have a parent at home."

Natalie Anderson has revealed the name of her baby boy.

The Emmerdale star confirmed that she has named her son Freddie George James Shepherd.

The actress gave birth to her first child with husband James Shepherd on Wednesday (August 1).

"We have a beautiful baby boy born this morning and we are all doing really well," she told Hello.

Talking about how they hope to raise their first child together, she said: "The most important thing for both of us as parents will be making sure our child feels loved.

"We think it is important to be strict - not in a horrible way, but strict with ourselves, too, in that we don't spoil our child."

Anderson explained that she plans on returning to Emmerdale as feisty barmaid Alicia Gallagher in the near future, while her husband will continue to work from home as a financial services consultant.

She said that the arrangement was so that he could spend more time with his wife, but added: "We also thought that, when we had a family, it'd be great to always have a parent at home."