Overview
- Speaking on The Lewis Nicholls Show, Shahidi said the storyline’s depiction of parental loss left her in tears during filming.
- She played Leyla Harding for roughly 16 years and departed earlier in 2025 after her character’s fatal crash on screen in February.
- As a mother, she found the material especially difficult and said photos of the fictional child around the set made the emotions feel inescapable.
- She noted the plot was fictional but said research and conversations with bereaved families deepened the realism and emotional weight.
- In earlier comments to Metro, she said she is adjusting to life after Emmerdale and is excited yet nervous as she explores new projects.