Leyla's sister Alicia Harding

GORGEOUS Natalie Anderson will "raise hell" as the latest sexy addition to the cast of Emmerdale.

The 28-year-old will play "brassy and trashy" Alicia Harding, who will blaze a trail of destruction as she tries to settle old scores with her sister Leyla (Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi).

Last night Bradford-born Natalie, who starred as nurse Stella Davenport in ITV1's The Royal, said: "I'm thrilled to be joining the show. I'm a Yorkshire girl so a part in Emmerdale is a dream come true.

"Alicia's a complex character. She's not all she seems and is set to make life complicated for Leyla."

Other new signings include hunky Jason Merrells, 41, as tycoon Declan Macey and ex-Hear'Say singer Suzanne Shaw, 28, playing maneater Eve Jenson.

West End actress Natalie Anderson is to swap the fictional realm of Oz for the Yorkshire Dales later this year as she joins the cast of Emmerdale.

The 28-year-old - whose year-long stage stint as Nessarose, The Wicked Witch of the East in the award-winning musical Wicked came to an end in March - takes on the role of Leyla Harding's (Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi) fiery sibling Alicia.

Described as "brassy and trashy and full of attitude", Alicia bounds into village in the summer and makes it clear from the outset that she has unfinished business with Leyla, who has only recently settled down with boyfriend David (Matthew Wolfenden).

With their relationship far from perfect, Leyla's forced to deal with Alicia's arrival in an attempt to keep her "murky and scandal-ridden" past buried.

Speaking of her casting, Anderson said: Natalie says: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining the show. It'll be wonderful to be working back home in Yorkshire again. I'm a Yorkshire girl so a part in Emmerdale is a dream come true!

She added: "Alicia is a complex character, she's not all she seems and she's set to make life quite complicated for Leyla."

Series producer Gavin Blyth commented: "We're delighted to have Natalie on board. She's a great actress and a wonderful addition to the cast. Alicia will start stirring things up in Leyla's life the minute she sets foot in the village."

Anderson - who also starred as nurse Stella Davenport in The Royal - is due to begin filming at the rural soap's home in Leeds next month, and will make her screen debut in August.

Leyla is annoying as it is

EMMERDALE is turning up the heat on its rivals with yet another *sizzling new signing.



And they don’t get much *hotter than sexy actress *Natalie Anderson – as our stunning picture shows.


The gorgeous brunette, best known for playing saucy nurse Stella Davenport in hospital *drama The Royal, starts filming with the ITV1 soap next month as Leyla Harding’s trashy sister *Alicia.


But Leyla, who has just settled into domestic bliss with hunky boyfriend David Metcalfe, will not be happy to see her.


So when she blazes into the village full of *attitude and with an axe to grind, Leyla is terrified she’ll reveal her murky past.
And it quickly *becomes clear there is a lot of bad blood *between the sisters.



Speaking about joining the soap, Natalie, 28, a proud Yorkshire lass, said the part was a dream come true for her.


The Bradford-born beauty said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the show. It’ll be wonderful working back home in Yorkshire again.



“Alicia is a complex character, she’s not at all what she seems and is set to make life quite *complicated for Leyla.”


Natalie is the latest in a string of new signings after bosses decided that sex would be their secret weapon in the ratings war with Corrie and EastEnders. They’ve already *unleashed former Hear’Say babe *Suzanne Shaw and hunk Jason Merrells, both of whom are set for even more romp-filled action in a few months.



An Emmerdale insider told the Daily Star Sunday: “Natalie is *absolutely stunning, a real *head-turner.

“Her character is outspoken and brassy.


“But she’s also one of the sexiest girls we’ve ever had on the soap. She’s going to set pulses *racing.”



Producer Gavin Blyth said: “We’re delighted to have Natalie on board.


“She’s a great *actress and a *wonderful addition to the cast.”



Viewers can catch Natalie on screen from August.

She will probably go after David

Former Wicked actress Natalie Anderson makes her debut in Emmerdale next week, appearing in the role of Leyla Harding's fiery sister Alicia Gallagher. The siblings have not seen eye-to-eye for some time, and following the death of their mother, Alicia wastes no time in telling Leyla that she's not welcome at the funeral. When Leyla ignores the warning and turns up at the service, the pair's spat gets even worse. What's the reason for their feud and will they ever make it up? Here, DS chats to West End star Natalie to find out.

How did the part in Emmerdale come about?
"Well, I've known the producer for quite a long time and I'd previously auditioned in front of him for Coronation Street. I'd also worked with the executive producer, Steve November, on The Royal. I think that when the character of Alicia came up, because I'd been up for a sister in Coronation Street, they thought of me and asked me to come in and meet with them. It all went from there really, and it's been lovely."

Did you watch Emmerdale before you joined the show?
"Oh yeah, I'm a huge Emmerdale fan! I'm a bit of an Emmerdale geek. Being a Yorkshire girl, it's always been my soap of choice because it's the one that I can relate to more than anything else. My very first primary school was just down the road from a farm - at the bottom of the farm was our school. So for me, the role just made sense because I really related to it. I've always been a fan."

How would you describe Alicia?
"Definitely bold as brass! She doesn't mince her words and she's quite hot-headed as well. She's got quite a tough exterior. The easiest way for me to describe her is that she's a bit like a hurricane - she arrives, she spins things up and then she goes, leaving all this chaos behind her! She's a great character to play as I'm thinking that I'm hopefully not really like that!"

How is she first introduced?
"To be honest it's not very nice how she comes into the village. Leyla and Alicia's mum has sadly passed away, and Alicia comes to the village to warn Leyla that she doesn't want her at the funeral and she shouldn't come. It's quite negative from the audience's perspective - they'll be thinking, 'Oh gosh, what's gone on here?' They probably won't like my character straight away because she's not very nice to her sister."

Leyla ignores Alicia's wishes and goes to the funeral anyway. How does Alicia react?
"Not very well! They kind of have a bit of a screaming match at each other and it doesn't go down very well with Alicia - she's really annoyed that she's turned up. But she obviously respects the fact that it is her mum too, and she does have a right to be there. So for the sake of their mother, she tolerates it."

What's caused the bad blood between Alicia and Leyla?
"All I can really say is that something has definitely gone on between them! What it is will be revealed in the next few weeks. The biggest clue I can give is that Alicia is fiercely protective of her family unit and she doesn't want anything to come between that. So you can read into that what you want! (Laughs)"

Does Alicia just want Leyla to stay out of her life, or will we see her trying to cause trouble for her sister?
"She doesn't really want to cause trouble - she just doesn't want her around. She doesn't wish anything bad on her sister, she just doesn't want her in her life at the moment. She'd prefer it if she just disappeared."

Is there any chance that they can put their differences aside and move on?
"Hopefully we'll see that despite all the bad blood, hate and love are very close and that these sisters really do love each other. Fingers crossed we'll see that there's a softer side and have some sort of reconciliation. But we'll just have to wait and see…"

Alicia has a husband, Justin, and a son called Jacob. What's her relationship like with them?
"She absolutely dotes on her son - she really, really loves him to pieces. With her husband, things are a little bit strained between them when we first see them. But she's a strong family woman with morals. She's very much for being a good wife and a good mum."

What's it like playing someone who's so outspoken?
"Do you know what, it's really good fun! It's my way of venting! I hope that I'm a bit more polite, but she says stuff that I would never dream of saying! I think it's a bit like therapy - if you've had a rough day, go in and be Alicia for a day and you just get to say what you want!"

And we've heard that Alicia has a bit of a trashy dress sense - has that been fun?
"Yeah, it's brilliant. I've been so lucky because I've had a lot of input into how she looks, how she dresses and everything she wears. It's been great fun because, again, her dress sense is completely different to mine. She's glamorous and wears really low-cut tops and short skirts. But there's definite reasons for the way she dresses and I'm hoping that viewers will start to understand Alicia and see that underneath this tough exterior, she's quite insecure. I think some of that is perhaps reflected in the way she dresses. But she's definitely quite brassy - there's a lot of jewellery and a lot of fake hair and fake nails!"

Where can you see Alicia going in the long-term?
"Oh gosh, who knows? Terrorising the village! We'll have to just wait and see. I'm interested myself to see what the writers are going to do with the character. I think I'd definitely like to see her ruffle a few more feathers in the village…"

How does Alicia compare to characters that you've played in the past?
"Alicia is completely different to anything else that I've ever played. My character on The Royal was quite bubbly to start with and again quite loud, but she really matured in the three or four years that we saw her and tended to be a bit quieter towards the end. Alicia is just much more outspoken and quite tough, whereas I've never really been asked to play a character with a hard edge. I tend to get the roles that are a little bit softer."

What's it like working with Rokhsaneh?
"She's absolutely fantastic. I really love her and we get on so well. It's so nice because we're both chatty, bubbly people, so we're very similar and that's quite nice. We have such a laugh when we're on set together, and especially when we've been filming scenes where we've not really been getting on! It's been really funny because as soon as the scene's over, we just start laughing!"

And have the rest of the cast made you feel welcome?
"Yeah, the rest of the cast have been so lovely. I was fortunate that I'd met a couple of people before joining. When I was on The Royal there were events with ITV, so I'd met Tom Lister and Matthew Wolfenden before. That's been quite nice. I've been lucky as well because a lot of the crew I knew from working on The Royal, so I've not felt quite as scared - although I was absolutely petrified on my first day!"

You joined the show at a similar time to Pauline Quirke - did you bond as the two new girls?
"Yeah! It was lovely because Pauline's such a lovely lady. The pair of us were discussing what it was like to walk through the village - it's really iconic and it's like, 'Oh my gosh!' You have to pinch yourself as you're really lucky to be there. It's been nice - we've had a bit of bonding over that!"

You played the role of Nessarose in Wicked for almost a year - is theatre something that you'd like to do more of?
"I definitely want to do more musical theatre! At the moment, my priority is definitely Emmerdale - just enjoying whatever they give me for however long they want me there. But I definitely want to do more musical theatre sometime in the future. Doing Wicked was tough because I was away from my husband for a year and I only got to see him on a Sunday, so that side of things is incredibly difficult, but having Emmerdale is amazing because I'm living back at home now. But I think I'd consider it somewhere along the line in the future - doing another show or something. Obviously if it was offered to me - I can't just assume that I'm just going to get something!"

What's more demanding - a theatre schedule or a soap schedule?
"I think I would say that a theatre schedule is more demanding. We do get the odd day off when we're filming Emmerdale. Yes, we may film 15 or 16 hour days, but it's not constant - it all depends on the storyline that you're in. Whereas, with theatre, it's eight shows a week and you've only got so many weeks off. Last year, I literally had Christmas Day off over Christmas, so I didn't really get to spend time with my family. So theatre is definitely much more demanding."

After all of the changes that have been made to Emmerdale, what do you think of the current state of the show?
"I think it's absolutely brilliant. It's getting better and better. The production team are absolutely fantastic, the writing team is brilliant, the storylines are brilliant and I'm so proud to be part of it right now because I think it's coming into a new era. Even though it's always been really popular, I think it's really getting to the point now where it's making its own stand against Coronation Street and EastEnders. It's standing there on its own two feet and being taken for itself, in its own right. Danny Miller, who plays Aaron, is absolutely amazing and when they had all the stuff with Sally Spode last year, it was absolutely fantastic viewing. I'm a huge fan of the show anyway, so I'm really proud."

Are you enjoying working with Gavin?
"It's been great working with him - he's absolutely fantastic and he's let me have quite a lot of input with this character. He's given me quite a definite brief, but then I've been able to talk to him about ideas for the character, so that's been really lovely. He's such a nice guy."

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Emmerdale newcomer Natalie Anderson has revealed that she wears "chicken fillets" when filming the show.

The actress, who makes her debut on the ITV1 soap this week playing Leyla Harding's sister Alicia Gallagher, admitted that it helps in the portrayal of her character.

Speaking to the Daily Star Sunday, she said: "I showed my mum one of the first pictures I had taken as Alicia. The first thing she noticed was the size of my boobs, which wasn’t hard because they’re humongous.

"It’s a big part of who the character is. Alicia is someone who needs to feel womanly and what better way to do that than show off a great chest. So I wear a padded bra with two chicken fillets sewn into each side. When I first saw them I couldn’t believe them either. But that really is as far as I’d go.

"So many beautiful young actresses are going under the knife and most of them really don’t need to. It saddens me when I read about girls having different cosmetic surgery procedures. You just have to love what God gave you."

Speaking of her character's arrival in the village, she added: "Alicia is bound to get judged straight away because of the way she dresses. But there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye.

"The sisters hate each other but it’s going to be a while before viewers find out why. When I read the scripts I was like, ‘Oh my God, well I didn’t see that one coming!'"

on Leyla and David's shop ? the Wylde's had it and couldn't make a penny with it so they close it down. So what do this pair do , buy the shop and open it with nearly the same sort of goods, little or no trade seen going in to it and you would imagine no passing trade. How do they keep it going ? Ok its a soap but come on

I agree with you, thought she was doing something else with the shop, not sell the same merchandise as before.

Natalie Anderson has revealed that she is an Emmerdale "geek".

The former Wickedwarning to her sister Leyla Harding (Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi).

Anderson told Digital Spy: "I'm a huge Emmerdale fan! I'm a bit of an Emmerdale geek.

"Being a Yorkshire girl, it's always been my soap of choice because it's the one that I can relate to more than anything else. My very first primary school was just down the road from a farm - at the bottom of the farm was our school."

She added: "So for me, the role just made sense because I really related to it. I've always been a fan."

Anderson admitted that she is unsure what the ITV soap's writers have planned for Alicia.

"I'm interested myself to see what the writers are going to do with the character," she said. "I think I'd definitely like to see her ruffle a few more feathers in the village."

I thunk Leyla had an affair with Alicia's husband in the past or he was Leyla's boyfriend first

Seen that right off at the funeral and when she went to the house, then told David he was a sales rep. When all she need do was to say to David he was part of the family.

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Originally Posted by walsh2509

Seen that right off at the funeral and when she went to the house, then told David he was a sales rep. When all she need do was to say to David he was part of the family.

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Yes, people in soaps lie as if it's nothing. What's the big deal about him being related? Maybe she doesn't want to answer David's questions about her family? Probably the " sales rep " will be back again soon and we'll find out more.

I think the kid is Leyla's and she had it with her sisters husband then handed it over to her sis.

Natalie Anderson has insisted that she is nothing like her Emmerdale character Alicia Gallagher.

The former West End actress joined the ITV soap last month as Lleya Harding's (Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi) sister.

"She's brazen and quite spiteful and I'm really not like that at all, I hope," she told The Mirror. "She says what she thinks and there are no airs and graces about her whatsoever.

"But while she comes across as bold as brass with a hard exterior, there is a softer side to her. She's a devoted mum and a loving wife with very strong morals."

Anderson also revealed her husband's reaction to a photograph of her in character.

"She's brassy and trashy and wears miniskirts, low-cut tops, padded bras, hair extensions and lots of fake tan and massive jewellery," she said. "I showed James the first picture of myself done up as Alicia and he said he didn't quite know whether he fancied her or wanted to give her a good wash.

"Make of that what you will."

Emmerdale's Natalie Anderson is pleased viewers have finally warmed to her character Alicia Gallagher.

The former star of West End show Wicked joined the soap as brassy barmaid Alicia in May last year, but she revealed that her flirtatious nature and difficult relationship with sister Leyla meant some Dales fans didn't like her.

Natalie told Inside Soap magazine: "I definitely felt the public attitude towards Alicia changing - when she first arrived in the village people would come up to me and say 'You're so nasty! Why are you so horrible to your sister?'"

She went on: "After we saw how vulnerable she can be, though, people are now telling me, 'I love her! She makes me laugh! She says the cheekiest things! And she's a great barmaid.'

"Viewers have warmed to her, so I'm really pleased."

And while the 29-year-old actress-and-singer is returning to the recording studio soon to work on a follow-up to her debut album Return To Me which she released in 2008, she has no plans to leave Emmerdale any time soon.

She said: "I plan to stay. I'm a huge fan of the show, so I'm thrilled to be here."

PA

I am not that fond of her yet

Emmerdale's Alicia Gallagher resorts to desperate measures in next week's episodes as her financial troubles escalate. With Jacob's birthday fast approaching and Justin still spoiling his son as much as possible, Alicia is saddened by the knowledge that she won't be able to give the youngster a perfect present. Later, when Leyla starts putting pressure on Alicia about an overdue rent payment, the village barmaid panics and decides to raise funds by raiding her sister's shop for stock, secretly loading cigarettes and booze into a hold-all. Here, actress Natalie Anderson - who plays Alicia - chats to Digital Spy about her character's shock decision.

As Justin has been spoiling Jacob so much recently, do you think he's trying to upstage Alicia?
"I think there is maybe a little bit of that, but not too much. I don't think he's being really vindictive. He obviously loves Jacob just as much as Alicia does but he's not getting to see him as much, as she pretty much has him full-time. I think Justin is probably feeling a bit scared, so he's showering him with gifts to make Jacob love him. But, at the same time, I do think there is a little bit of him that knows Alicia doesn't have as much money as him and that he can buy Jacob bigger and better."

What's going through Alicia's mind when she steals from Leyla's shop?
"When she goes into the shop, she's basically really, really desperate because she wants to buy Jacob a present that he really wants for his birthday and she wants to be the best mum in the world. Because she isn't his biological mum, she's got that fear that he will one day grow up and leave her, so she's trying to overcompensate for that. So it's pure desperation when she goes into the shop and does what she does, rather than being malicious or vindictive."

Does she regret it afterwards?
"You'll see that she's very regretful and you'll see that it's not been easy for her to do this. She feels very, very guilty. But her attitude is also that desperate times call for desperate measures, she has to get on with this and it's been for a good cause."

Why do you think Alicia hasn't done the honest thing and asked Leyla for some financial help?
"I think Alicia thinks that would be admitting failure on her part and that Leyla might want to take Jacob back. She's frightened that Leyla might say, 'Well obviously you can't do this - you're not good enough to be his mum'. So that's Alicia's biggest fear. Also, Alicia is a really proud person and that's why she doesn't go to anybody else for help either. It's silly on her part, though, as pride comes before a fall at the end of the day - and that's what happens here. Her own pride gets her into trouble."

Does Leyla have any suspicions when she notices the stock is missing?
"I think she trusts her sister too much, so at this point she has no suspicions whatsoever that it's Alicia."

Often it's been Leyla deceiving Alicia or keeping secrets, rather than the other way around, so has it been nice to explore this different dynamic?
"Yeah, the shoe's on the other foot! I think it joins them as sisters and you can see that they're both quite secretive. They've got this thing inside of them where they're quite proud, they keep secrets and they don't like to speak up! I think it unites them as sisters and shows that they've come from the same tree!"

On a lighter note, are you enjoying the Alicia and Andy relationship?
"Oh yeah, that's lovely! Kelvin Fletcher is great to work with and it's been fun to show Alicia on that journey - having her really interested in somebody after being married to Justin. It's been a lovely journey for both of them, really, and definitely fun to play."

Not long after stealing from Leyla, Alicia spends the night with Andy for the first time. Is she confident that it's the right moment?
"To be honest, I think part of the reason for that is because she feels so bad about what she's done and she feels really lonely. She just wants someone to look after her. She's been running around doing all of these bad things, trying to provide for Jake, and I think that she just wants to be with someone who's going to be nice to her. But I think she is falling for him - she can see that he's a really good dad to Sarah, he's caring and he's affectionate. Yes, he has a past, but so has she. Them spending the night together might not necessarily be the right time, but it just happens."

What's the reaction been like from viewers since you first appeared on screen as Alicia?
"It's actually been really positive! Initially some people were saying they didn't like her because she was being horrible to Leyla, but since then people have warmed to her because I think she's quite humourous. So once the two sisters sorted out their problems, I think people could see that humour in Alicia and they actually quite like her now. I have people coming up to me on the street saying, 'Oh, Alicia's really funny!', which is lovely. It's been a lot more positive than I thought it was going to be."

What have been your favourite storylines so far?
"I loved it when Jake went missing. It sounds horrible, but what I mean by that is that I loved the drama of it and it was brilliant to get the chance to really work a lot with Rokhsaneh. Obviously I do work with her nearly every day, but we had so much material with that storyline, a brilliant director and Matthew Wolfenden was amazing. And little Joe-Warren, who plays Jake, was pushed just as much with all of the stuff that he had - he's such a wonderful child and I love him to pieces. So I loved that and I'm also really enjoying the Andy and Alicia storyline - I'm really looking forward to seeing where it's going to go. I'd like a wedding for sure! A big massive dress would be brilliant. But we'll have to wait and see - this is soap at the end of the day, and it can't always be happily ever after!"

Do you think Jacob's disappearance changed the viewers' perception of Alicia slightly?
"Yeah, I think when Jacob went missing and it was revealed that Justin is Jacob's real father, people saw how awful the news was for Alicia and they also saw how much she really, really loved her son when he went missing. For me to film that was agonising as I was upset the whole time!"

Do you prefer Alicia's nicer side or her outspoken and feisty moments?
"I love the fact that she can always go either way. There's scenes that I have that are funny and there are scenes where I'm having a go at someone, and I love that - she's never just one or the other. Depending on what script I'm doing, Alicia can be shouting one moment and then really funny the next. It's nice when you can have the comedy as well as the craziness and I like them both equally."

We've seen Alicia as a mum, sister, barmaid and now girlfriend. Are you glad to play a character with such a lot of scope and many different roles?
"I've always tried my best to play her that way - she can be quite fiery, she can be cheeky as the barmaid, she can be flirty, she can stand up for her son and stand up for herself. So there are a lot of sides to her and I don't think she can ever just be passed off as a bit of a bimbo or just gobby. I think Emmerdale have been lovely in allowing me to show that with the scripts that they've given me. In the six months that I've been there, I've been able to show how versatile she is."

Are you glad that Alicia is right at the heart of the village by working in The Woolpack?
"Yeah, it's been brilliant for me because I've really been able to integrate into the cast by working in The Woolpack - you get to see everybody because everybody has something to do in the pub. Also, I love working in the bar - I think I'm one of the only people who loves working in there, because I've always got a job to do and I'm quite good at pulling a pint as I worked in a bar years ago. It's great to feel part of the action in the pub."

We noticed some tension between Alicia and Debbie recently…
"Oh, that's good! Yes, Alicia and Debbie is quite interesting and that tension might come back. They're definitely both fiery women but they both come from a different school of thought - Alicia thinks one way and Debbie thinks another, and they clash in the middle. Whereas Alicia and Chas are more similar and that's why they clash, I think Alicia and Debbie have completely different ways of thinking - especially when it comes to parenting."

You released an album called Return To Me in 2008 and apparently you're working on some more music at the moment?
"Yes, I'm hoping to go into the studio at some point and do some more songs. I have got some stuff already, but it's going to be a while away because I've always said that Emmerdale is completely my priority and I'd need a more free schedule to do it. At the moment, Emmerdale is my focus and even if some music did get released, it would be done quite quietly and independently. But I'm still always writing and singing because it's something that's very much a part of me. Singing is something that I have to do every day and every weekend I'll have a big sing-out, just for me! So definitely watch this space."

Do you think you'd go for a different sound this time around?
"I think it'll be a bit different to the last album, but I'm not sure yet because the songs I've done so far are quite varied - there's some poppier songs and some of them are more gospel. That's another reason why it's going to take a while, because I want to decide what to do. I just love singing all different types of material, so at the moment it's trial and error."

Finally, you've said in the past that you were quite closely involved with Alicia's wardrobe and style choices. Do you still get that input now?
"Yes, that's definitely continuing! Obviously the summer's coming up soon, so we'll have to wait and see what little beauties she's going to be wearing then! I definitely have a nice say in what she wears and where we want to take her style-wise. It's been fun - the things that she wears make me laugh so much and I get so many comments about it on Twitter. People say things like, 'As if you wore that!' and also, 'Where did you get that from?' It's really flattering. Alicia's happy - she's a little style icon!"

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has revealed that she would love to film a soap wedding in the future.

The actress, who plays feisty Alicia Gallagher on the ITV1 drama, confirmed that she has high hopes for her character's current romance with Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher).

Speaking in an interview with Digital Spy, Anderson explained: "I think she is falling for him - she can see that he's a really good dad to Sarah, he's caring and he's affectionate. Yes, he has a past, but so has she."

She continued: "I'm really looking forward to seeing where it's going to go. I'd like a wedding for sure! A big massive dress would be brilliant. But we'll have to wait and see - this is soap at the end of the day, and it can't always be happily ever after!"

Anderson also said that she has been glad to see Alicia find love again following her failed marriage.

She said: "Kelvin Fletcher is great to work with and it's been fun to show Alicia on that journey - having her really interested in somebody after being married to Justin. It's been a lovely journey for both of them, really, and definitely fun to play."

Alicia and Andy spend the night together for the first time in next week's episodes, shortly after the barmaid has betrayed sister Leyla by stealing from her shop.

'Emmerdale's Alicia Gallagher could be left homeless after she confesses to stealing stock from her sister Leyla Harding's shop.

The shamed wannabe WAG, played by Natalie Anderson, is forced to admit that she's been selling stolen stock to a dodgy contact after Leyla (Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi) points the finger at teenage employee Amy Wyatt (Chelsea Halfpenny) in the ITV1 soap.

As Amy gets told off for thieving, Leyla's boyfriend David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) notices how guilty Alicia looks who eventually comes clean, saying she did it so she could buy gifts for her son Jacob, who is being spoiled by her ex Justin.

However, Leyla is unsympathetic and ignores her sister's pleas for forgiveness, telling her to pack her bags and get out of her house for good.

Alicia takes Jacob to stay with her boyfriend Andy Sugden (Kevin Fletcher) but is told in no uncertain terms by him that they are not welcome to stay on a permanent basis.

However, she refuses to heed his suggestion that she should go back and try asking Leyla for forgiveness again, leaving her and her son without a permanent home.

(C) BANG Media International

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shamed wannabe WAG

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She is not a very nice person. To steal is bad enough. Then to steal from your sister who is letting you live in her house.
She is always having a go at Layla for the most little things. Layla only lets her stay, and puts up with her for Jake's sake.

Have they stated weather Alicia adopted Jake, or has Layla got parental rights. If so Alicia should change her ways.

Cannot understand why she has no money anyway. Unless she spends it all on hair dye and make up.

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has reflected on her character's recent troubles with Andy Sugden, admitting that the brassy brunette is secretly "heartbroken" over their split.

Last week, viewers saw Alicia Gallagher's relationship with Andy fall apart after their planned move to Spain was called off.

Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) cancelled plans to move abroad to ensure that he could fully support his young daughter Sarah, who has been struck down with a mystery illness. Alicia has since enjoyed romantic attention from love rat Carl King, played by Tom Lister.

Anderson told the Daily Star: "Alicia doesn't know the extent of what's wrong with Andy's daughter Sarah. She's got a very rare illness and is having tests, but they know it's quite serious. So Andy had to stay in Emmerdale but Alicia's mindset was that Sarah would be fine.

"Andy told her to find somebody else and she was gutted. Although she's heartbroken, she won't show that. She's quite steely. So when Carl started flirting with her, she was flattered. And considering she's fed up, she enjoys it. Alicia knows he's a snake in the grass but he's also a distraction."

She added: "I think she should get back together with Andy. They're a good match and who else would she be with in the village? But you never know in soap."

Anderson has been part of the Emmerdale cast since summer 2010.

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Originally Posted by Perdita

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has reflected on her character's recent troubles with Andy Sugden, admitting that the brassy brunette is secretly \"heartbroken\" over their split.

Last week, viewers saw Alicia Gallagher's relationship with Andy fall apart after their planned move to Spain was called off.

Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) cancelled plans to move abroad to ensure that he could fully support his young daughter Sarah, who has been struck down with a mystery illness. Alicia has since enjoyed romantic attention from love rat Carl King, played by Tom Lister.

Anderson told the Daily Star: \"Alicia doesn't know the extent of what's wrong with Andy's daughter Sarah. She's got a very rare illness and is having tests, but they know it's quite serious. So Andy had to stay in Emmerdale but Alicia's mindset was that Sarah would be fine.

\"Andy told her to find somebody else and she was gutted. Although she's heartbroken, she won't show that. She's quite steely. So when Carl started flirting with her, she was flattered. And considering she's fed up, she enjoys it. Alicia knows he's a snake in the grass but he's also a distraction.\"

She added: \"I think she should get back together with Andy. They're a good match and who else would she be with in the village? But you never know in soap.\"

Anderson has been part of the Emmerdale cast since summer 2010.

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Already posted with pictures http://www.soapboards.co.uk/forums/s...766#post756766

Alicia dose not think of anybody else's feeling .She is all me me me.
Andy done right, ending the relationship. Maybe now she will see how selfish she is.
If it was her son that was ill, I am sure she would put him, before going to Spain.

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has admitted that she wants the soap's bosses to create a wedding storyline for her character Alicia Gallagher.

Alicia recently split from farmer Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher), but the pair manage to get their relationship back on track in next week's episodes.

Anderson told the Daily Star of her soap wedding dream: "I've dropped hints. But nothing so far. I'd love to see Alicia in a massive pink wedding dress."

The actress added that she still likes to wear her own wedding dress after marrying finance executive James Shepherd in 2008.

"I put it on quite often, and just stare at myself in the mirror and make sure it still fits," Anderson explained.

Emmerdale viewers will soon see Alicia supporting Andy after his young daughter Sarah is diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder.

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has hinted that her character Alicia Gallagher could reach breaking point at Christmas as the soap's saviour sibling storyline continues.

Alicia's partner Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) recently agreed to have another baby with his ex Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb) in order to save their young daughter Sarah, who needs a bone marrow match as she is seriously ill.

Andy and Debbie's hopes of securing IVF treatment were shattered last week, meaning that Alicia has more troubled times ahead in the coming weeks as the pair consider other options.

Anderson told the Daily Star Sunday of the storyline's future: "Alicia wants to be supportive but her emotions get in the way. She is infertile and it is hard for her to come to terms with her boyfriend having a baby with someone else.

"She understands how ill Sarah is, but there's going to be a point where she will lose control - and by Christmas she's going to have to make a huge decision."

Anderson added that she is thrilled Alicia will be sticking around in Emmerdale as her current contract runs until late 2012, when the soap turns 40.

"I absolutely love it," she said. "To be part of the anniversary is very exciting."

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has announced that she is pregnant with her first child.

The actress, who has played barmaid Alicia Gallagher in the ITV1 soap since August 2010, told Hello magazine that she and husband James Shepherd were "so happy" to discover that they would become parents in August.

"We've not been going to many functions and I've been disguising it quite a lot," Anderson said, explaining that her bump would be hidden on screen before she goes on maternity leave.

"I think there'll be a lot of standing around the bar and carrying huge handbags," she joked.

While recalling her first scan, Anderson admitted that the couple will find out the sex of their unborn child at the follow-up, saying: 'I cried and James had a tear in his eye. It was incredible to see the tiny hands and feet, the face and this little thing dancing away.

"We want to know who we're talking to, so we can have nice little conversations."

Speaking about her late grandfather, who died last year, the West End star - nominated for 'Sexiest Female' at the British Soap Awards - said that he had been an inspiration to her.

"If I'm feeling nervous about the baby, anxious that things will be all right, I feel him around me," Anderson added. "It's a lovely feeling, as though I have someone watching over me."

Natalie Anderson has revealed that she is expecting a baby boy.

The Emmerdale actress, who has played barmaid Alicia Gallagher in the ITV1 soap since August 2010, said that she and husband James Shepherd were very "excited" to discover their unborn child's gender.

Anderson told Hello magazine: "We are thrilled to tell you we are expecting a little boy! We are both so excited."

When the star first revealed her pregnancy, she said that she and Shepherd were "so happy" about the news but added that she had been struggling with "disguising" her growing bump.

While recalling her first scan, Anderson revealed: 'I cried and James had a tear in his eye. It was incredible to see the tiny hands and feet, the face and this little thing dancing away."

She also revealed that she feels like her late grandfather, who died last year, is "watching over" her during the pregnancy, adding: "If I'm feeling nervous about the baby, anxious that things will be all right, I feel him around me. It's a lovely feeling."

Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson has praised her upcoming exit plot.

The actress is due to give birth to her first child in August, meaning that her character Alicia Gallagher will have to take a break from the village.

Alicia's feelings for David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) are expected to grow over the coming weeks in the build-up to her departure.

Anderson, who is married to partner James Shepherd, told the Daily Star: "We found out a little while ago that we're having a boy, but we haven't come up with any names yet. We want to wait and see what he looks like.

"I've been watching One Born Every Minute. I'm obsessed with it, but it's really starting to freak me out!"

She added: "I'm really pleased with the exit they've come up with in Emmerdale. All I can say is that it involves David."

Anderson joined Emmerdale in summer 2010.

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."