Leyla Harding (Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi)

Tension between warring sisters Leyla Harding and Alicia Gallagher comes to a head on Emmerdale next week when Alicia discovers that her husband Justin has been in secret contact with Leyla. Furious over the matter, Alicia immediately dumps Justin and it's not long before she pays a visit to Leyla's shop on the warpath, accusing her sibling of wrecking her marriage. As the sisters have their biggest row yet, the real reasons for the bad blood between the pair become clear as old wounds are reopened, and viewers finally discover Leyla's secret. DS recently had a chat with Leyla's portrayer Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi to find out more.

What have you made of the storyline with Leyla and Alicia so far?
"I've really been enjoying it. Natalie Anderson is just so lovely to work with and it's so nice when someone new joins the show, as it just keeps it really fresh. Also, the way they've written it has been great and it's just a really good storyline. It's been so enjoyable."

Would you say this has been your favourite storyline from your time at Emmerdale?
"Definitely, yes! Out of all the storylines I've had, I've definitely enjoyed this one best, without a doubt."

When did you first hear that the producers wanted to bring in Leyla's sister?
"I heard a couple of months before Natalie came in. At that point, I didn't know much more than that - I had a very vague idea of what we were going to do storyline-wise, but that was it! But yes, I did know a couple of months before Natalie started work."

Has getting on well with Natalie made this storyline all the more enjoyable?
"It has - but it's actually a great cast full-stop at Emmerdale. Everyone is always really lovely and I've always enjoyed working with everyone. The whole team is great."


Leyla's big secret will be revealed to viewers next week. The exact storyline details are being kept under wraps, but can you give us any teasers about why she's been keeping it so quiet?
"I think that Leyla has been keeping this secret just because she wants to get on with her life. The situation that she's keeping quiet was so hard for her to deal with, so if she went around talking to everyone about it, it would bring it all back. The easiest way for her to move on in her life was just to try and ignore it. But it's always been there at the back of her mind..."

Alicia's arrival in the village seems to have brought it all back for Leyla - do you think this could ultimately be for the best?
"Well, now that Leyla's secret is going to come out, it'll be really hard for her to deal with. In the long run, though, it'll be best for her to get it all out in the open and deal with it. It's her life, it's the truth and she'll have to live with it…"


Has it been difficult keeping a lid on the secret when Emmerdale fans have been asking you about it?
"It has been difficult, actually! But I just keep telling people that they'll have to watch!"

Leyla hasn't really stood up for herself much in her arguments with Alicia - why is that?
"I think it's because, due to the secret she has and all of the family history, she feels guilty about everything. But give it a bit of time and you'll see her come back at Alicia - and she explains everything to her. For now, though, she just feels quite a lot of guilt."

Would you say there's a sense that Leyla is slightly scared of Alicia?
"I don't think that she's scared of Alicia - the main thing is that she's just scared of everything coming out! I think that, in the scenes we've seen, her main fear is that she just can't hide from the truth anymore - as Alicia is standing right in front of her! She's not actually scared of her sister, as they grew up together and they were really close at one point. What's scary for Leyla is being confronted by her past."


Next week, just before the secret is revealed, we see Alicia blaming Leyla for the breakdown of her marriage - how does Leyla react to that?
"Well, Leyla knows that it's not her fault and that she's not the cause of it really, so the viewers will see her being quite matter-of-fact about that. She didn't break up their marriage - they did that themselves! Leyla knows that's just Alicia overreacting and wanting to blame someone."

As the argument continues, though, Leyla loses her temper and slaps Alicia - what was that like to film?
"It was good fun, that one, actually! It took a few takes, but it was good fun!"

What do you think of the state of Emmerdale as a whole at the moment?
"I think Gavin Blyth has got a really clear vision. He knows exactly what he wants and I think that the show is progressing in a brilliant direction. I think that it's just going to keep going from strength to strength, as Gavin is making really good decisions."

We've heard recently that the Wylde family will all be leaving Emmerdale - will you be sad to see them go?
"I'll definitely be sad to see them go. Alice Coulthard is a really good friend of mine and she's just an absolutely lovely girl. In terms of doing scenes, I didn't really see that much of her because a lot of her storylines didn't have much to do with Leyla. But I'll continue to see her off set and I'm looking forward to that. I think that everything is going to go really well for Alice - she'll have a really good career and I'm quite excited for her! Amanda Donohoe is also brilliant and I'm sure she's going to go on and do some great things, and I think the same about Lyndon Ogbourne as well. They'll all do some good stuff."

Emmerdale actress Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi has predicted that her departing co-stars Alice Coulthard, Amanda Donohoe and Lyndon Ogbourne will all have bright futures after they leave the soap.

Coulthard, who plays Maisie Wylde, revealed back in June that she would be departing the Yorkshire-based show, while her screen family members Donohoe (Natasha) and Ogbourne (Nathan) have also both recently announced their intentions to bow out.

Gwawam-Shahidi - best known for playing Leyla Harding on the ITV1 drama - told DS: "I'll definitely be sad to see them go. Alice Coulthard is a really good friend of mine and she's just an absolutely lovely girl.

"In terms of doing scenes, I didn't really see that much of her because a lot of her storylines didn't have much to do with Leyla. But I'll continue to see her off set and I'm looking forward to that. I think that everything is going to go really well for Alice - she'll have a really good career and I'm quite excited for her!"

She added: "Amanda Donohoe is also brilliant and I'm sure she's going to go on and do some great things, and I think the same about Lyndon Ogbourne as well. They'll all do some good stuff."

The Wylde family will leave screens later this year after their current murder plot reaches its conclusion.

its bugging me what the secret is does any1 have any ideas?? im thinking that the kid is leylas or summit just a guess?

Were you shocked when you heard that Leyla had a secret son?
"Yes, I was actually! I was very shocked. But I was excited as well, because I thought that it would be really interesting to play, and it's definitely going to bring a new dimension to the character."

Were you surprised that she's been able to keep her distance from Jacob for so long?
"Yes, I was, absolutely. But when I read the scripts, I totally understood why. It was that whole thing of wanting to get on with her life and hoping to escape from her past. It is shocking, but I can understand Leyla's decision."

What kind of relationship does Leyla want with Jacob now?
"I think that all Leyla wants is to just be his aunty. That's it. She just wants to see him and interact with him - just as someone would normally do with their nephew. But as for how hard that will be for her, only time will tell…"

Does Alicia continue to worry that Leyla will want to somehow take her place in Jacob's life?
"Definitely, yes. That is a big fear for Alicia. Because Leyla is Jacob's actual mother, she does worry about that. But that's just something that the two sisters are going to have to sort out between themselves and hopefully resolve."

Now that Leyla and Alicia are going to be staying under the same roof, what can viewers expect to happen next?
"I can't give too much away, but it's been really good because although there's tension there and it's quite dramatic, there's also a lot of love in the house."

If David ever discovers the truth, do you think his relationship with Leyla would be able to survive it?
"I hope so! Hopefully things between them would be okay. But you never know - they've gone through so much in the past, and there's got to be a breaking point…"

Did you have any involvement in the auditions when they were casting for Leyla's family?
"I didn't when it came to casting Natalie in the part of Alicia, because I think that they wanted Natalie from the start, so it was just a matter of them talking to her and bringing her in. But I was involved when it came to the casting of Leyla's son - we did a lot of auditions with different young people."

Where would you like to see the story go from here?
"I think I'd just like to be surprised! I'd like for it not to be predictable, and I don't think it will be - so that's what I'm really excited about. This storyline has definitely been the highlight of my time at Emmerdale - I've not just been playing the comedy and I've been showing a serious side to Leyla. The last couple of months have been really good and I just hope that it keeps going like this right through to next year."

Emmerdale star Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi has admitted that her character Leyla Harding needs to change her ways as she continues spending quality time with her biological son Jacob.

Last month, viewers discovered that Leyla gave Jacob away to her sister Alicia (Natalie Anderson) when he was just a baby and had been keeping her distance ever since.

In recent weeks, however, a desperate Alicia has found herself turning to Leyla for help - meaning that the shopkeeper has been able to enjoy contact with Jacob for the first time in years.

Next week, the story has a new twist when Leyla takes Jacob to a birthday party, where he goes into anaphylactic shock due to an allergic reaction to some cake.

Speaking about the plot, Ghawam-Shahidi commented: "It's Leyla's fault because she hasn't listened to her sister's warnings about not letting Jacob eat anything because of his nut allergy.

"Alicia's told her several times that she must watch Jacob like a hawk but Leyla's like 'Yeah, whatever!' It's a situation that could have been avoided if only she'd listened to Alicia."

She continued: "What it does is help shock Leyla into the reality of the situation - that Alicia is Jacob's mum and needs to be listened to. It reinforces their roles if you like… Leyla's got to learn to be less full-on. She mustn't keep indulging and spoiling him."

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these are from 28/3, thoughts?

not entirely convinced it is her...?


and if it is, who is chubby with her?

Is she staying around now for a while?

Emmerdale returnee Leyla Harding is at the centre of more drama next week as a catch-up meeting with her sister Alicia has unexpected consequences.

When Alicia (Natalie Anderson) meets up with Leyla after demanding to see her again, she can sense that something is wrong with her estranged sibling and later ends up following Leyla into a strip club to find out what she's hiding.

Alicia is stunned to discover that Leyla is now working as a stripper, but there's little time to discuss the situation when the club is suddenly raided by police and they're both arrested!

Here, Roxy Shahidi - who plays Leyla - reveals how the mix-up leads to her character moving back to the village.

Leyla has been keeping her new job a secret, hasn't she?
"Yes. Leyla did actually have a job in human resources and she was doing okay, but she was fired and was left in debt. She lost her house, as she'd put a deposit down and was planning on moving in somewhere.

"So Leyla lost everything and she felt that she could earn some money quickly. She didn't like the situation, though - she ended up dating her boss in the strip club, but that doesn't work out very well for her."

How does Leyla react next week when Alicia demands to see her?
"Leyla definitely wants to see Alicia and she wants to be part of Jacob's life. The problem is that she can't ask for the afternoon off work. Her boyfriend owns the strip club that she works in, but the manager can be quite hostile and doesn't have a particularly nice relationship with Leyla.

"Obviously Leyla doesn't want Alicia coming to the strip club, but she's not in a position where she can walk off the shop floor either. Leyla is very resistant at first about meeting up with Alicia, but it's only because she's working that day and she's working the next day too. Leyla wants to hold off until another time, but Alicia doesn't understand why she can't just meet her on her lunch break for a cup of tea."


What happens in the end?
"Leyla comes to meet Alicia in the village eventually. She does massively want to be part of Alicia and Jacob's lives again, but she doesn't want to expose her new job to Alicia. She's very proud and she doesn't want to be judged either.

"It's bad enough that they've been estranged for two years, so the last thing Leyla wants is for Alicia to be put off in any way. If Alicia found out that Leyla was doing something she disapproves of, she could potentially shut that door to communication with Jacob. So Leyla is trying to protect herself."

What was it like to film the scenes where Alicia follows Leyla into the strip club?
"Honestly, it was such good fun to film those scenes. Leyla's outfit was incredible - it's head-to-toe red PVC with massive glass platform shoes. Obviously it has to look sexy, but I think more than that, it looked really good fun too.

"The reaction I got from women in make-up and wardrobe here at Emmerdale was for them to burst out laughing, so I think that was a really good way to portray her and people wouldn't be put off saying, 'Oh, there's Leyla naked!' It's more, 'What the bloody hell is she up to now?' There's a soft element to it."


How does Alicia react when she sees Leyla?
"She drags her off the stage literally by her legs!"

Does Leyla feel bad that they both get arrested?
"Oh God yeah, of course she does! It's terribly embarrassing but at the same time Leyla thinks, 'It's not my fault! I didn't tell the police to come and arrest people, and I didn't tell you to turn up either!' It just seems to be her thing - one thing will go wrong, then another and another. It's not actually Leyla's fault."

Alicia then decides to bring Leyla back to the village to stay! How does David react?
"He's absolutely furious. Leyla can't be too angry in response to that, because she still feels shame and regret about the situation she left David in two years ago. She's also a bit scared about being back - it's always a bit scary going back somewhere, especially where you've let people down. Leyla totally understands why David feels the way he feels, but her patience soon starts to wear thin. Sparks will fly!"


How is Leyla feeling about Alicia, David and Jacob being a happy family?
"Leyla likes the idea that the people she cares about are all still together. However, the dynamic is very strange and very different and she does feel left out in a way that she never used to, as she was always the centre of attention - it was her partner, her sister, her son/nephew.

"Now Leyla is on the outside of what's become a very closely-knit family and she's having to work her way back in, which is very hard, but it's better than Alicia being in Spain and David being with someone totally different. Leyla is trying to look on the bright side, but it's definitely hard."

Emmerdale returnee Leyla Harding is at the centre of more drama next week as a catch-up meeting with her sister Alicia has unexpected consequences.

When Alicia (Natalie Anderson) meets up with Leyla after demanding to see her again, she can sense that something is wrong with her estranged sibling and later ends up following Leyla into a strip club to find out what she's hiding.

Alicia is stunned to discover that Leyla is now working as a stripper, but there's little time to discuss the situation when the club is suddenly raided by police and they're both arrested!

Here, Roxy Shahidi - who plays Leyla - reveals how the mix-up leads to her character moving back to the village.

Leyla has been keeping her new job a secret, hasn't she?
"Yes. Leyla did actually have a job in human resources and she was doing okay, but she was fired and was left in debt. She lost her house, as she'd put a deposit down and was planning on moving in somewhere.

"So Leyla lost everything and she felt that she could earn some money quickly. She didn't like the situation, though - she ended up dating her boss in the strip club, but that doesn't work out very well for her."

How does Leyla react next week when Alicia demands to see her?
"Leyla definitely wants to see Alicia and she wants to be part of Jacob's life. The problem is that she can't ask for the afternoon off work. Her boyfriend owns the strip club that she works in, but the manager can be quite hostile and doesn't have a particularly nice relationship with Leyla.

"Obviously Leyla doesn't want Alicia coming to the strip club, but she's not in a position where she can walk off the shop floor either. Leyla is very resistant at first about meeting up with Alicia, but it's only because she's working that day and she's working the next day too. Leyla wants to hold off until another time, but Alicia doesn't understand why she can't just meet her on her lunch break for a cup of tea."


What happens in the end?
"Leyla comes to meet Alicia in the village eventually. She does massively want to be part of Alicia and Jacob's lives again, but she doesn't want to expose her new job to Alicia. She's very proud and she doesn't want to be judged either.

"It's bad enough that they've been estranged for two years, so the last thing Leyla wants is for Alicia to be put off in any way. If Alicia found out that Leyla was doing something she disapproves of, she could potentially shut that door to communication with Jacob. So Leyla is trying to protect herself."

What was it like to film the scenes where Alicia follows Leyla into the strip club?
"Honestly, it was such good fun to film those scenes. Leyla's outfit was incredible - it's head-to-toe red PVC with massive glass platform shoes. Obviously it has to look sexy, but I think more than that, it looked really good fun too.

"The reaction I got from women in make-up and wardrobe here at Emmerdale was for them to burst out laughing, so I think that was a really good way to portray her and people wouldn't be put off saying, 'Oh, there's Leyla naked!' It's more, 'What the bloody hell is she up to now?' There's a soft element to it."


How does Alicia react when she sees Leyla?
"She drags her off the stage literally by her legs!"

Does Leyla feel bad that they both get arrested?
"Oh God yeah, of course she does! It's terribly embarrassing but at the same time Leyla thinks, 'It's not my fault! I didn't tell the police to come and arrest people, and I didn't tell you to turn up either!' It just seems to be her thing - one thing will go wrong, then another and another. It's not actually Leyla's fault."

Alicia then decides to bring Leyla back to the village to stay! How does David react?
"He's absolutely furious. Leyla can't be too angry in response to that, because she still feels shame and regret about the situation she left David in two years ago. She's also a bit scared about being back - it's always a bit scary going back somewhere, especially where you've let people down. Leyla totally understands why David feels the way he feels, but her patience soon starts to wear thin. Sparks will fly!"


How is Leyla feeling about Alicia, David and Jacob being a happy family?
"Leyla likes the idea that the people she cares about are all still together. However, the dynamic is very strange and very different and she does feel left out in a way that she never used to, as she was always the centre of attention - it was her partner, her sister, her son/nephew.

"Now Leyla is on the outside of what's become a very closely-knit family and she's having to work her way back in, which is very hard, but it's better than Alicia being in Spain and David being with someone totally different. Leyla is trying to look on the bright side, but it's definitely hard."

leyla tells jai she is seeing nikhil

LEYLA Harding has been fighting her feelings for her ex-lover Jai Sharma ever since he broke her heart.

So what better way for her to get over their affair than to start dating his nicer brother Nikhil.

the smitten pair enjoying a flirty lunch in The Woolpack, during which Leyla finally agrees to a date with the charming businessman.

Viewers will see her world being turned upside down when her son Jacob returns to the village.

The lad, who has been brought up as her sister Alicia Metcalfe’s son, was last seen leaving with Alicia for Portugal.

And when Leyla discovers he is back in the village she hopes to play a bigger role in his life. So when Jacob announces he is moving back in with his step-dad David she is gutted.

Leyla talks things over with handsome Nikhil and he offers her some good advice about how to handle the situation.

Leyla realises she must give things a go with Nikhil despite her relationship with his brother.

An Emmerdale insider said: “Jai has been trying his best to win over Leyla but she has stayed strong.

"He broke her heart and caused her so much grief.”

Leyla knows she needs to move on but she has her reservations about hooking up with his brother.

But our source said: “Nikhil couldn’t be more different from Jai, so she decides to accept his offer of a date.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how Jai reacts to the news.”

Soap fans can catch the sizzling scenes between Leyla and Nikhil a week on Thursday on ITV.

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Great to see Jacob back ... think Joe-Warren Plant is an excellent young actor :thumbsup:

good to have jake back but on his own without alicia don't seem right

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Originally Posted by lizann

good to have jake back but on his own without alicia don't seem right

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I am very shocked Alicia would let Jake live in another country to her with David or Leyla or even his dad or anyone

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Originally Posted by tammyy2j

I am very shocked Alicia would let Jake live in another country to her with David or Leyla or even his dad or anyone

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As yet we don´t know the circumstances of his return .. might only be for a short time, he is nearly 13 years old, maybe he did not settle well in Portugal or Alicia has health problems where she can´t look after him .. he knows David and Leyla .. if I was in a situation where I had to leave my child with anyone because I could not take care of him or her, then his real mum or step dad would probably be the best solution???

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Originally Posted by Perdita

As yet we don´t know the circumstances of his return .. might only be for a short time, he is nearly 13 years old, maybe he did not settle well in Portugal or Alicia has health problems where she can´t look after him .. he knows David and Leyla .. if I was in a situation where I had to leave my child with anyone because I could not take care of him or her, then his real mum or step dad would probably be the best solution???

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He didn't return for Val's death as Alicia said he was happy and settled in school etc.,

If Alicia is sick then Leyla or David would go help her

I do wait to see what excuse the writers come up with for his return

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Originally Posted by tammyy2j

He didn't return for Val's death as Alicia said he was happy and settled in school etc.,

If Alicia is sick then Leyla or David would go help her

I do wait to see what excuse the writers come up with for his return

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Nooo, surely .... Leylais busy planning weddings and David has to run his shop and keep an eye on Eric :) No time to go off to Portugal .. but yes, will be interesting to see why he is coming back and for how long for

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Originally Posted by Perdita

Nooo, surely .... Leylais busy planning weddings and David has to run his shop and keep an eye on Eric :) No time to go off to Portugal .. but yes, will be interesting to see why he is coming back and for how long for

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Matthew should be going on paternity leave soon

.

Emmerdale fans will see Jacob Gallagher make a surprise return to the village next week.

The teenager has been absent from our screens since September last year, when he moved back to Portugal with Alicia Metcalfe.

After four months away, Jacob heads back to his old life in Emmerdale next week after deciding that he's better off there - much to the surprise of his biological mother Leyla Harding.

Leyla is thrilled to see Jacob back as she still holds out hope of becoming a more important figure in his life.

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Leyla is thrilled that Jacob is staying

Unfortunately, there's disappointment in store for her when she realises that he'll be living with Alicia's ex David rather than her. Is this a sign that she'll want to shake up the status quo by becoming more of a mum to him?

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Leyla is hurt by Jacob's living arrangements

Roxy Shahidi, who plays Leyla, revealed: "Once you're a teenager, you start to know your own mind and that's why Jacob returns. He has such good friends in the village and a family connection there too.

"Although he loves Alicia so much, moving away was all too much for him. I think he's at the age where he's got that level of maturity and knows what's right for him. Coming back is quite a brave and mature decision that he's made, but one that Leyla and David will absolutely support him through."

On the impact that Jacob's return will have on Leyla, she continued: "Leyla absolutely adores Jacob. I don't think she's wanted anything more than the opportunity to be his mum, ever since he first arrived in the village.

"But at the same time, I think she's also learned to deal with the fact that he sees her as his aunty and that's how he loves her. That's how they get on best, because that's the role she's always had. Even though she would love to mother him, I think she knows that she's his 'cool aunty Leyla'."

Shahidi concluded: "When Leyla gave Jacob up, she knew at the time that it was the best decision she could make for him. On a selfish level, she'll always regret that because she's not had the opportunity to be his mum and she does love him as a son.

"I think she'd love to be a bit more of a mum in the future, but she needs to tread carefully because she's never been that before. She's always been his aunty, so she has to think about how he's going to respond if that changes. But she will support him in whatever way she can be involved."

Read more at:
http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emme...jacob-returns/

"I'd love to see Leyla settle down. She had such an awful time with Jai and she now realises how destructive it is to be around someone so reckless. She compromised herself in so many ways and jeopardised her business. Leyla's got her work and friends, but the missing piece of the puzzle is someone she can settle down with. She's drawn to Nikhil as he's the opposite of Jai. She used to see him as very strait-laced with not much of a sense of humour. But their mutual concern for David brings out their best sides for the other to see. There could be more to come with these two..."

Star Interview with Roxy Shahidi (Leyla)
TV Soap, The Sun, 17-23 January 2016

Could there be a new Emmerdale wedding on the horizon? It seems that way next week when Leyla Harding proposes to Nikhil Sharma!
They may have only been dating for a matter of weeks but things are getting serious between the couple and Leyla pops the question.
But it might not all be as it seems. The week kicks off with Leyla’s best mate, Carly Hope, putting her foot in it when she admits to Nikhil that his brother Jai gave Leyla the best sex she had ever had.
That hits a bum note with the businessman and Leyla's furious when she finds out so makes some seriously seductive plans to make things up to him.
Leyla reassures Nikhil he's enough for her and moves in to kiss him, seductively. However, she's struck with the norovirus and rushes off to be sick.
She's embarrassed but Nikhil's determined to look after her as she runs off again to be sick and things take a turn for the worse when she suddenly collapses.
That’s when things take a funny turn because a delirious Leyla then tells Nikhil they should get married!
Carly thinks it's hilarious Leyla proposed to Nikhil but Leyla dreads having to have another conversation with him.
Will he take her proposal seriously?

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Is Leyla now Jake's mum, has Alicia left him to live with her so she can be his mum

I find it strange that Alicia is allowing Jake to stay in Emmerdale with Leyla and David

I can't see Alicia coming back to Emmerdale. Yes, her sister Leyla seems to be Jake's mum for now.

Jake is back for teenage storylines with Gabby and Lachlan, to be shown in a while.

I think Nikhil and David's bromance could lead to Leyla being an item with David soon. Jai is still around of course. I wonder if we might get a dramatic love triangle, as we haven't had a new one for, um, seems like several days or so already? :)

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Originally Posted by tammyy2j

Is Leyla now Jake's mum, has Alicia left him to live with her so she can be his mum

I find it strange that Alicia is allowing Jake to stay in Emmerdale with Leyla and David

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I don´t think Natalie Anderson will be back, I was glad they brought Jake back, I like him and Emmerdale needs a few more teenagers to liven things up a bit. Maybe Leyla and David will get back together as a couple although I prefer them as friends only :)

no way should david and leyla get back together, is she going to stay living with david not nikhil gone or back to vanessa

i hope she don't go after david

Congratulations are in order for Emmerdale star Roxy Shahidi, who is expecting her first baby with husband Arsher Ali.

The Leyla Harding actress revealed the happy news in a new interview, though admitted that she was "absolutely terrified" when she found out.

"I burst into tears," she told OK! Magazine. "We had only been trying for a few weeks and I was sure it was going to take us much longer! It took a few weeks before I got my head around it, but once I did I was filled with joy."

"We were actively trying so I knew there was a chance, but other than that I didn't notice any signs that I could be pregnant," she added, explaining that fellow star Charley Webb (Debbie Dingle) and Arsher noticed she was pregnant before she even took the test.

Speaking about the baby's gender, Roxy added: "We're having a girl. We both wanted to find out so we had the NIPT [non-invasive prenatal testing] blood test at 12 weeks. There hasn't been a girl in my family for 20 years so everyone on my side is pretty excited for us."

Meanwhile, Roxy's character Leyla has been through plenty of drama on Emmerdale over the past few weeks, recently discovering that Pete Barton was cheating on her with Priya Sharma.

On top of that, she sparked gossip over possible unresolved feelings for ex David Metcalfe.¨


Digital Spy


So I guess Leyla will be pregnant with Pete's baby .. wonder how they will write her out for her maternity leave ¨hmm

a quick sympathy fumble with pete over losing his brother mother and son and up duffy that's how i think it will play out

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Originally Posted by lizann

a quick sympathy fumble with pete over losing his brother mother and son and up duffy that's how i think it will play out

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For sure. :D

ive a feeling leyla will run greek wedding planning office in greece

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lizann

ive a feeling leyla will run greek wedding planning office in greece

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Is she leaving?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Perdita

Is she leaving?

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maternity leave

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lizann

maternity leave

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Of course, forgot she is pregnant in real life

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Perdita

Of course, forgot she is pregnant in real life

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her coats, bags and tops have got bigger and looser :p

back with baby davy when she returns

could it be pete's baby she returns with, would timing match up

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lizann

could it be pete's baby she returns with, would timing match up

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Maybe. I haven't given it much consideration. Could be Pete, more likely it's David.

I just want Leyla to come back.

No doubt she will come back with a baby .. who is the daddy storyline ...