Emmerdale fans fume beloved character had been ‘sidelined for months’ before shock death revelation

EMMERDALE fans have been left fuming as a beloved character has been 'sidelined for months' before their exit.

Fans of the long-running ITV soap have taken aim at show bosses ahead of Roxy Shahidi departure.

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The Sun on Sunday first revealed how the actress has quit the Yorkshire Dales after 16 years - and her character is being killed off.

It comes after Roxy, 41, starred on Dancing on Ice earlier this year along with ITV reality series Drama Queens.

Reacting to the news, fans have been left devastated - and accused bosses of 'sidelining' the fan-favourite from bigger storylines.

One said: "Genuinely gutted about this one."

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A second vented: "Wow, though maybe not so surprising considering how she's been ignored/sidelined for the past year or two now anyway."

"She’s been heavily sidelined and forgotten about so may as well kill her off. Shame though as I liked her in her early years," said a third.

While a fourth commented: "Leyla is in the unfortunate position of now not having a familial link to anyone besides Jacob (who’d also been gone for months before randomly appearing this week) so since covid she only ever got a few scraps thrown her way. If she’d been a Dingle it’s 100% cert she’d have featured much more prominently."

A source close to the telly star Roxy said: "Roxy has adored her time on the soap and has made so many happy memories since first joining when she was 17. 

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"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."