Roxy Shahidi revels news about BNO

Emmerdale star Roxy Shahidi reveals new details of Maya Stepney's fate and "dark" storyline twist

"Leyla's life will change massively."

Roxy Shahidi as Leyla Harding in EmmerdaleITV

Emmerdale star Roxy Shahidi has spoken out over the Maya Stepney mystery for the first time.

The actress's character Leyla Harding is currently hiding a dark secret after angrily confronting her son's abuser Maya Stepney in the woods – an incident which led to the schoolteacher's disappearance.

Next week, viewers will finally get answers as a special flashback episode shows what happened after Leyla, Priya Kotecha and Tracy Metcalfe confronted Maya in the Big Night Out cliffhanger.

Sharing some early details, Roxy revealed: "Leyla's life will change massively as a result of Priya catching Maya and Jacob kissing. How could it not?

"To find out Maya – someone who lived in the same house as her – had been abusing her son in this way is her worst nightmare and leaves her filled with not only rage, but guilt for not knowing it was going on right under her nose.

"Leyla's a feisty character so it's safe to say she's not going to let this lie, but initially she wants to get to Jacob to hear it from him and later, cover their tracks."

On what happened that night, Roxy continued: "Once the girls got their head around what Priya told them – at the beginning they didn't believe it was anything other than innocent – the girls went through a range of emotions and were totally conflicted about what to do. Should they call the police? Should they take matters into their own hands?

"Leyla wanted Priya to drive them to the airport to get to Jacob initially, but something unexpected happened on the way that changed the course of the evening and things took a very dark turn.

 Maya Stepney is confronted in Emmerdale

"I'm really excited for the audience to find out what really happened. Having seen the girls head back to the woods to discover a bloodied scarf – but no sign of Maya – they will have spent the last week wondering what it is the girls have done and what has happened to Maya.

"The enormity of it all weighs especially heavy on Leyla, who has not been completely honest with Priya and Tracy about what happened. Other villagers begin to suspect something is wrong as all three girls are behaving strangely.

"It will be a huge relief to be able to fill in the gaps and see where everyone goes from here and if David will finally find out what has been going on."

 Maya Stepney is confronted in Emmerdale

Roxy admitted that Leyla isn't worried about Maya, despite the ongoing fear that she could have died after the events in the woods.

She explained: "I don't think Leyla is particularly concerned about Maya's welfare. She hates her for what she has done to Jacob. She is more worried about being implicated and getting in trouble with the police. Nobody wants to do time for Maya when she has already put them through so much.

"Leyla definitely appears the most guilty on the lead-up to these episodes. Even the other girls start querying things in their mind. She is the one who is so insistent they lie to David and cover their tracks. She's terrified Tracy and Priya will be the weak link and blow their secret."

Emmerdale airs the Maya flashback episode on Tuesday, May 7 at 8pm on ITV.