With a cast as large as Emmerdale‘s it’s sometimes hard to keep track of where they all are.
Exits are rumoured and announced all year round, so here’s a round up of what 2019 looks like so far.
Who’s leaving? Who’s joining? And is anyone returning to Emmerdale?
Read more: The complete Emmerdale cast list 2019
Leaving
Lisa Dingle – Jane Cox
We’re almost too sad to write this, but Lisa Dingle, aka Jane Cox, will be departing the show this year.
She’s only just returned to the Dales but her comeback story will be her last as she has revealed to her family that she’s suffering from a terminal heart condition.
During the episode which marked International Women’s Day on Friday March 8 viewers saw Lisa meet her niece Charity Dingle secretly in Scotland and confess her devastating diagnosis.
In heartbreaking scenes Lisa asked Charity to prepare her eulogy.
Lisa made it very clear her devastating news was just between them at that point, and when daughter Belle found out the awful truth this week, she broke down.
Of her exit, Jane said: “Lisa is so close to my heart as she’s been such a huge part of my life for the past more than 23 years. So I know I will shed more than a few tears when it comes to filming her final scenes.
“But I’m really looking forward to my return to the show to tell this story and to give the character of Lisa a deserving farewell. I will miss her.”
So will we, Jane, so will we.
No departure date has been confirmed, but with Lisa’s health deteriorating quickly, it doesn’t feel like she has long left.
Aiesha Richards – Shila Iqbal
Emmerdale has confirmed that ITV viewers have seen the last of Aiesha Richards.
Scriptwriters were forced to hurriedly write the character out of the soap, after actress Shila Iqbal was sacked last month.
Shila was fired in April 2019 when historic messages of an offensive nature were brought to the attention of show bosses.
The 24-year-old posted a series of racist and homophobic tweets in 2013, when she was 19 and a student in Rochdale.
An Emmerdale spokesperson said: “As a consequence of historic social media posts Shila Iqbal has left her role as Aiesha Richards on Emmerdale.
“The programme took the decision not to renew her contract as soon as these posts were brought to the company’s attention.”
Emmerdale fans wondering about how the character would be written out were given an answer on Thursday May 16, when Aiesha was mentioned during a conversation between her mum Manpreet and stepdad Rishi.
Explaining her sudden departure from the village, they said she had “taken off” when she was supposed to be organising a party for Amba Metcalfe.
They added that a “promoter friend needed her in Ibiza”.
So that’s that then – no more Aiesha.
Her last appearance was aired last month, filmed before her shock sacking.
Aiesha was meant to permanently join the cast this year after appearing in a handful of episodes in 2018.
After the news broke, Shila issued a statement saying: “I am terribly sorry and take full responsibility for my use of such inappropriate language.
“I have paid the price and can no longer continue the job I loved the most at Emmerdale.
“Although I was young when I made the tweets, it was still completely wrong of me to do so and I sincerely apologise.”
Maya Stepney – Louisa Clein
Although Emmerdale has yet to confirm the fate of Maya Stepney, we do know she is arrested next week after a confrontation with David Metcalfe following the revelation she has been grooming Jacob Gallagher.
The scenes have had viewers feeling uncomfortable for months as teacher Maya continued to get her claws into teenage pupil, and son of her boyfriend, Jacob.
After Priya Kotecha caught them kissing on the Big Night Out, Maya was confronted by Priya, Leyla Harding and Tracy Metcalfe.
Leyla thought she’d killed Maya, but it turned out she was alive and well and holed up in a hotel room with Jacob.
However, after she caught Jacob messaging his dad, Maya disappeared.
Jacob has returned to the village alone, but even after Maya’s arrest the storyline will continue.
We have been assured by show boss Kate Brookes that justice will be done: “We’ve got a responsibility,” she’s said.
“A lot of people watch the show, a lot of teenagers watch the show, and also we would never just tell one of these stories lightly, we have a duty to make sure the right protocol is carried out, and the right outcome.”
It remains to be seen whether next week will be the last we see of Maya, but it seems pretty much a given that her time in Emmerdale village is up.
Megan Macey – Gaynor Faye
Gaynor Faye has quit Emmerdale after seven years playing Megan Macey.
The 47-year-old star is to depart her role as wedding planner Megan, because she wants to try her hand at other roles.
Speaking to OK! magazine, the actress revealed: “I’ve been on the show for over six years and have naturally reached a point where I’d like to do some other stuff.”
While Gaynor – who previously played Judy Mallett on Coronation Street from 1995 to 1999 – admits it is “a risk” to leave the show, she is keen to push herself out of her comfort zone.
She added: “It’s a risk. I need to push myself out of my comfort zone.
While it’s not yet known how Megan will depart the Dales when Gaynor leaves the soap, her Corrie character had a dramatic ending when she died of a pulmonary embolism while hanging out the washing.
Joining
There are currently no details of new soap cast members.
Read more: Which days is Emmerdale on this week?
Returning
Will Taylor – Dean Andrews
Will Taylor made his first appearance in the Dales a few weeks ago when he was revealed as the father of Dawn Taylor.
Together Will and Dawn had been terrorising Harriet Finch in revenge for her conning them all those years ago when she was an undercover police officer.
Harriet had been playing the part of Michelle, wife to Will and stepmum to Dawn, before she got Will sent down and Dawn fell into a life of drugs.
On Thursday May 17, Will tried to crush Harriet with a coffin, before his daughter Dawn pulled him off.
Harriet discovered the whole sorry truth about Will and Dawn being in cahoots, and told them both to leave and never come back.
Spoiler pictures have already revealed Dawn will return next week when she apologises to Ryan for her behaviour.
And in a recent interview, Dean Andrews, who plays Will, told Digital Spy: “I’m in for as long as they’ll have me.
“I always wanted to be part of the show, being from Yorkshire and being just down the road. Everybody I’ve spoken to says it’s a lovely place to work and so far, so good.
“I’d love to stick around and have 43 affairs and have 12 kids and end up owning the café! I just hope that Will gets some nice things to do. I hope he sticks around.”
So it looks like this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Will either. But when will he be back?
Are you looking forward to these cast changes? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!