Leyla Harding will be packing her bags and leaving Emmerdale behind in the new year – but how will young Jacob cope with having to say goodbye to yet another member of his family?
Roxy Shahidi will be heading off on maternity leave next year, but while her departure from the Yorkshire Dales is a happy one, the same can’t be said for her alter ego.
As Leyla prepares to jet off for a fresh start in sunny Greece, Jacob is left devastated that she’s going without him.
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After his adoptive mum, Alicia, departed the village to start a new life in Portugal, Jacob hit rock bottom.
He then faced almost losing David Metcalfe, who has become like a dad to him, to cancer.
And with Jacob’s insecurity about his family deserting him growing by the day, the news that Leyla is moving abroad doesn’t go down well.
With her romance with Pete in tatters and her declaration of love for David falling on deaf ears, Leyla is determined she needs a new start abroad, much to Jacob’s horror.
So instead of supporting his biological mother in her decision to move away, Jacob decides to try and get Leyla to stay by organising her a special lunch…
Um, that’s bound to change her mind.
His efforts unsurprisingly fall flat and as her departure date quickly approaches, Jacob sets out a plan to sabotage her big move.
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In scenes that will be aired at the start of the year, viewers will see exactly how far Jacob is prepared to go to keep his family together… but will Leyla be forced to leave on bad terms with him?