Roxy Shahidi has become synonymous with her portrayal of Leyla Harding on Emmerdale, but has now said goodbye to the programme. The actress made her debut as Leyla in 2008 and made a comeback in 2013 following a short break.
The soap saw Roxy’s character die following a horror limo crash into a frozen lake. Charity Dingle, played by Emma Atkins, was behind the wheel of the limo when it crashed and plunged into an icy lake.
An insider close to Roxy revealed to The Sun: “Roxy has adored her time on the soap and has made so many happy memories since first joining when she was just 17.
“The cast have become like family to her, and she has grown so much as an actress. But now, she feels it’s the perfect time to spread her wings and try something new”,
Outside of her Emmerdale commitments, Roxy has showed her versatility on ITV’s Dancing on Ice and appeared in the reality programme Drama Queens, which explores the personal lives of soap opera stars.
Alongside her television work, Roxy has a deep passion for yoga. She serves as both a yoga instructor and operates her own YouTube channel, providing yoga sequences for her followers to practise from home.
Roxy regularly speaks about her commitment to plant-based living, having switched from vegetarianism to veganism when she turned 21.
Roxy shares a happy marriage with fellow actor Arsher Ali, who has appeared in the likes of Doctor Who, Line of Duty and Top Boy. The couple tied the knot in 2010 and welcomed their daughter into the world in 2018.
Both Roxy and Arsher choose to maintain privacy around their personal lives, particularly regarding their romance and family matters.
Arsher, 41, has appeared in numerous films including Four Lions, The Flood and The Dig, alongside other various television programmes such as Silent Witness, Funny Woman, Everyone Else Burns and Cold Courage