Emmerdale legend leaving soap after 16 years and will be killed off in explosive scenes

Emmerdale star Roxy Shahidi has reportedly quit the ITV soap and her character Leyla Harding will be killed off in an explosive storyline after 16 years on the show.

Emmerdale's Roxy Shahidi is set to bid farewell to the soap after an impressive 16-year stint. Portraying Leyla Harding on ITV's hit series, the actress has decided it's time to "spread her wings".

Joining in August 2008, she took a break from 2011 until her return for two episodes in December 2013, before coming back full-time in January 2014. Leyla's journey has been eventful, with storylines that saw her as a pole dancer, getting shot, and battling a drug addiction.

Married to fellow actor Arsher Ali, with whom she has a six year old daughter, Roxy has often expressed her passion for Emmerdale, saying: "I absolutely love being in a soap like Emmerdale, because you're able to grow your character over the years."

She added, "It's a process you don't really get on many other dramas. And I'm so lucky to play Leyla, because she's such a fun character."

An insider shared that Roxy cherishes the memories and growth she's experienced on the show but feels ready for new challenges. They disclosed, "Roxy has adored her time on the soap and has made so many happy memories since first joining," reports the Mirror.

"The cast have become like family to her and she has grown so much as an actress, but now feels like the perfect time to spread her wings and try something new. She is really excited about her meaty exit storyline, which will see her character Leyla die on screen. She'd rather go out in a blaze of glory and be remembered."

The Mirror is seeking comments from ITV.

Earlier this year, she became a contestant on Dancing On Ice. During a rehearsal break, she visited the ITV studios and shared a video with her Instagram followers where she walked around before showing the ITV studio building.

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

She captioned it: "Just popped to Emmerdale. Missing this place."

This post piqued interest as viewers noted Roxy's character Leyla had been absent for months. Leyla, who is Jacob Gallagher's mother and Liam Cavanagh's ex-wife, recently had a significant storyline involving drug addiction.

Last season, her attempt to thwart drug dealer Callum resulted in her being taken hostage. Yet, the audience has not seen her since late July.

Meanwhile, the actress has been engaged in other endeavours, including ITVBe's Drama Queens and more.

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.