For the love of Liam

Emmerdale stars Roxy Shahidi and Samantha Giles on Leyla and Bernice’s battle for the doctor’s heart…

- ALISON SLADE

After a colourful courtship, unlucky-in-love wedding planner Leyla Harding is all set to say ‘I do’ to village GP Liam Cavanagh this week in Emmerdale. But there’s a fly in the ointment in the shape of Liam’s ex, Bernice Blackstock. Liam and Bernice were due to marry in 2019, but Bernice jetted off to Australia the night before the nuptials to tend to injured ex-husband Charlie, who had been in a car accident. Now, she’s back and she wants to pick up where she left off.

TV Times caught up with stars Roxy Shahidi, 38, and Samantha Giles, 49, to find out more...

‘She’ll get her man at all costs!’

Roxy Shahidi on how the ‘lioness’ comes out in Leyla

Why does Leyla think that Liam (played by Jonny McPherson) is ‘the one’?

He’s a doctor, he hasn’t had an affair, and he makes her laugh. She tends to fall in love easily and hard, but he is obviously a nice guy, which does make him different from just about everyone else she’s ever dated – apart from David.

Leyla has used the cancelled nuptials of a client for herself, hasn’t she?

Yes, she has, but she doesn’t mind having someone else’s wedding day shoe-horned into her own. Having said that, it is all very magnificent!

We went to a stunning venue not far away [Wharfedale Grange in Harewood] and it was so much fun because it was the first time we’d filmed on location in about 18 months. It was like going on a school trip.