Roxy Shahidi, who plays Leyla Harding in Emmerdale, will be stepping back from the show to prioritize her training for Dancing on Ice.
Emmerdale actress Roxy Shahidi is set to take a break from the popular soap opera as she gears up for the upcoming season of Dancing on Ice. Shahidi, who portrays the character Leyla Harding, expressed concerns about juggling her responsibilities on Emmerdale, her training for the ice-skating competition, and being a mother. However, Emmerdale has been supportive of Shahidi's decision and has granted her the flexibility to focus on Dancing on Ice.
Shahidi revealed, "Emmerdale have been really good because I said right from the beginning my priority is Emmerdale. That’s my job and I can’t do three things. I can’t be a mum and learn to ice skate and become an athlete and work full time. They said to me we haven’t got a massive storyline coming up so we’ll just fit you in. So they’ve allowed me to take that step back in order to focus on Dancing On Ice."
Emmerdale Stars' Success on Dancing on Ice
Emmerdale stars have had a history of success on Dancing on Ice, with previous contestants including Joe-Warren Plant, who plays Leyla’s son Jacob, and former winner Matthew Wolfenden, who portrayed David Metcalfe. Shahidi jokingly mentioned that her entire fictional family has participated in the competition and that she has received advice from previous stars.
"Matthew just kept telling me it’s going to be really hard work and I’m like ‘Thanks Matthew'," she said.
A Surprising Crossover
In an unexpected twist, Shahidi's worlds are set to collide as ice dancing legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are scheduled to appear in a Christmas storyline in the Emmerdale village. Shahidi described the crossover as "weird" but expressed that it was a "really fun day".
In the storyline, Shahidi's character Leyla, who is a wedding planner, has a connection to the skating stars and calls in a favor to bring them to the Dales for a special marriage proposal.
Yoga Skills for an Advantage
Interestingly, Shahidi's background as a qualified yoga teacher may give her an advantage over her fellow castmates on Dancing on Ice. A TV insider revealed, "Roxy is extremely flexible so she’ll have no problem getting into some of the more demanding positions needed for the difficult routines she’ll have to tackle."
Shahidi, who recently turned 40, is excited to embrace new challenges as she enters this new decade of her life. While she won't be leaving Emmerdale, she will have a busy few months juggling filming duties with rehearsals for Dancing on Ice.
When approached for comment, an ITV spokesperson stated, "The full show line-up will be announced in the coming weeks, so any unconfirmed names are speculation."
Joining Shahidi on the upcoming season of Dancing on Ice will be Olympian Greg Rutherford, Coronation Street star Claire Sweeney, and Love Island legend Amber Davies.
