Emmerdale star Roxy Shahidi reveals how Dancing on Ice will affect Leyla role

Harriet Mitchell

17 December 2023 at 7:00 am·2-min read

Emmerdale star Roxy Shahidi has revealed how appearing on Dancing on Ice will affect her role in the soap as Leyla Cavanagh.

Back in October, the soap star was one of the last celebrities to be announced for the next series of the ITV skating show along with Corrie's Ryan Thomas.

Chatting to Digital Spy and other media, Roxy opened up about juggling Dancing on Ice with her Emmerdale commitments.

roxy shahidi, dancing on ice contestant 2023 — ITV

"Emmerdale have been really good because I said right from the beginning my priority is Emmerdale," she shared. "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."

According to Roxy, the soap allowed her to step back from playing Leyla as the character wasn't involved in any major upcoming storylines.

"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," Roxy said.

When asked if any of her cast-mates will be coming to watch the show, she said Joe-Warren Plant, Amy Walsh and Matthew Wolfenden would all be attending, having previously appeared as contestants on the skating show.

"Everyone from Emmerdale who’s been in it has won apart from Joe, who had to go home because he got COVID," she said. "Everyone keeps saying to me ‘Everyone from Emmerdale’s won so you’re going to win,’ and I’m like ‘I don’t know.’

On her reasons for joining Dancing On Ice, Roxy said: "I’ve been in Emmerdale so long and I absolutely love it but I think it’s good for your mind to do something different like a little adventure. To be fair I was more excited about it before I actually signed my contract. Then I became incredibly scared because I realised how dangerous it is."

Dancing on Ice will return to ITV and ITVX in early 2024.

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