Emmerdale bosses wanted me to strip down to my underwear but I refused – I have body issues, admits Roxy Shahidi

EMMERDALE’S Roxy Shahidi has revealed how she refused to strip down to her underwear for a scene in the ITV soap.

Roxy has played Leyla Harding in Emmerdale since 2008, but her current storyline sees her staring death in the face while being held hostage by drug dealer Callum.

Appearing on todays edition of Steph’s Packed Lunch, the host asked Roxy about her dream way to leave the soap.

She replied: “100 per cent taxi! If you get in a taxi, you can always come back in a taxi. 

“You go in taxi, you come back in a taxi. So, you want the taxi really because it leaves that door fluid.

“You don’t want to die; it’d be too sad to die. You’ve known that character for years and years and years and you’ve invested so much. I couldn’t do it, I’d weep.”

Roxy also opened up about some Leyla’s storylines over the years, and revealed how she refused to film a scene in her underwear.

She explained: “Everyone’s got their own body issues, haven’t they? So, they’re [producers] fantastic like that. 

“And equally, if there’s stuff in the script that you’re not comfortable with, whether that’s emotional, or whether that’s on a physical level, whatever it is, you can always raise that. 

“For example, I was written in in an underwear scene where I shimmied into a doctor’s surgery and dropped my coat in bra and knickers and I said ‘no, I’m not doing that’.

“And so, I ended up in a nice knee length dress from Reiss, but I did a really good shimmy, a little dance, and I think it was funnier because for me personally, I felt comfortable delivering that scene, and also people don’t want to see my bra and knickers when they’re having their tea.”

Meanwhile viewers will have to wait and see if Leyla manages to escape the wood cabin where Callum is holding her hostage.

The last episode ended on a cliffhanger, with the drug dealer threatening to kill her.

Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and is available on ITVX, while Steph’s Packed Lunch airs weekdays at 12.30pm on Channel 4 and is available on All4.