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Roxy Shahidi
Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi (Persian: رخسانه قوام شهيدي; born 14 March 1983) is an English actress and screenwriter. She is known for portraying from 2008 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2025 the role of Leyla Harding in ITV soap Emmerdale. In 2024, she was a contestant on the sixteenth series of Dancing on Ice. Early lifeShahidi was born Rokhsaneh Gwaham-Shahidi on 14 March 1983 to an Iranian father and an English mother, and grew up in Whalley Range in Manchester.[2][3] She became a vegetarian at the age of 8, and has been a vegan since the age of 21.[4] CareerShahidi began her career as part of Contact Young Actors Company in 2004 and went on to work for Peskar Productions as a drama workshop leader in Oldham and Bolton.[5] Her theatre credits include East is East, Janus (for West Yorkshire Playhouse), Christie Malry's Own Double Entry at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, Freshly Scratched (for the Battersea Arts Centre) and Rafta, Rafta... at the National Theatre.[6] Shahidi made her on-screen debut in the BBC Three comedy-drama series Sinchronicity in 2006. She has also acted in radio plays, e.g. Nadeem Aslam's Maps for Lost Lovers. From November 2012 through to January 2013 she played the role of Shahrazad in the Manchester Library Theatre Company performances of Arabian Nights at the Lowry Theatre in Salford, near Manchester.[7] In August 2008, Shahidi joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Emmerdale as Leyla Harding.[8] After departing the role in August 2011, Shahidi returned to Emmerdale for two episodes in December 2013, before reprising the role on a permanent basis from January 2014.[9] In 2022, Shahidi and Emmerdale co-star Matthew Wolfenden were co-signed to United Agents as screenwriters. They collaborated on an episode of the BBC medical drama Holby City and three episodes of the BBC soap opera Doctors.[1] In 2024, Shahidi appeared as a contestant on the sixteenth series of Dancing on Ice.[10][11] She was paired with Sylvain Longchambon and was fourth to be eliminated.[12] Personal lifeShahidi married actor Arsher Ali in 2010. They have a daughter together born in 2018.[13][14][15] Shahidi has set up a Yoga Lunch Club in the Creative Quarter in Hockley, Greater Nottingham where she also is based.[16] She also has a YouTube channel on which she regularly shares yoga videos.[17] Filmography
Awards and nominations
References
External links
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