David, Alicia and Priya to return for Leyla funeral? The latest on their potential Emmerdale comebacks
It would be weird if they weren’t there
Leyla Harding was confirmed as the latest Emmerdale death after the terrifying limo crash. But as she dies, will we see familiar faces return for her funeral?
The Emmerdale ice stunt has had viewers gripped all week as it has claimed the lives of two villagers. In extremely heartbreaking scenes we saw Jacob find out that Leyla had died.
She wasn’t the only one, as Suzy also died on impact when the limo crashed. So, as we’re now looking at two funerals, will David, Alicia and Priya return to say goodbye to Leyla? Here’s everything we know.
Will David return for Leyla’s funeral?
It would be weird if we didn’t see at least one of these three characters appear to say goodbye to the Emmerdale icon. David and Leyla had an on and off relationship for years. And as Jacob’s dad, we would expect to see him make a reappearance.
Matthew Wolfenden left Emmerdale at the end of 2023. David cut ties with Jacob after his relationship with Victoria, and headed for a life away from the village.
But now that Leyla’s dead and Jacob is no longer with his dad’s ex-girlfriend, could he come back for the funeral?
Speaking to The Sun about a potential return, Matthew hasn’t ruled it out. Especially as he has just finished his stint in Elf: The Musical.
He said: “Luckily, John Whinston, the big boss at Emmerdale, wrote me a lovely email saying ‘Look, we’re not going to kill you off. That is not me saying you can come back.’ They can’t say that. But the door will be left open for the character of David which was very nice.
“It does give you that option. You never know, I might go knocking on the door and say ‘Can I come back please.’ It’s such a great place to work.”
What about Alicia?
Alicia is literally Leyla’s sister. And Jacob’s adoptive mother. So her return seems to be the one that fits the most with the current storyline.
Leyla died putting others above her for the first time in a while. And she thought she had let Jacob down. So wouldn’t it be fitting for those who loved Leyla but didn’t get the chance to show her it, go to her funeral?
Alicia hasn’t been seen in the village in ten years, so her comeback would be huge for the show. And as Natalie Anderson’s time on Hollyoaks came to an end in 2022, could she return as Alicia.
Speaking to The Daily Star during her time on Hollyoaks, Natalie admitted Emmerdale wasn’t her focus at that point.
However, she added: “I still love Emmerdale with all my heart!”
But circumstances change, and a return to Emmerdale after Leyla’s tragic death would be something fans want to see.
Could Priya return after Leyla’s Emmerdale death?
The final return that makes sense is Priya Sharma. She and Leyla had a close friendship over the years. And both had previous relationships with David.
In early 2023, Fiona Wade stepped away from her role as Priya. And at the time she admitted she was looking forward to a break from live television. But in 2024 she hit the road touring in a theatre play.
And while fans could be hoping for a Priya return, Fiona admitted last year, that she doesn’t regret leaving the show.
She told OK! Magazine: “It was incredibly kind that they left the door open for Priya. But I trust myself and I know it was the right decision. I don’t want to live looking back, that’s not my personality. I want to live life knowing I fully jumped with confidence. And I think I have done that.”
So out of all three, Matthew’s return as David looks most likely. And as his on-screen dad, Eric, has also been having a tough time lately, if he comes back – maybe he will stick around. And if none of them return, what will be the reasons given? Or will Leyla be forced to have an off-screen funeral which she does not deserve.
Read more: Worried Cain and Moira are over for good? Natalie J Robb hints that they’re unbreakable
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Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release at 7am on ITVX.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3.
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