Fans of Emmerdale have been left fuming at two notable absences as the village prepares for Leyla’s funeral. This comes as Jacob was forced to say goodbye to mum Leyla Harding when she was killed in last month’s limousine crash.
Alicia was Leyla’s sister and is Jacob’s biological mother. Alicia left the soap in 2015, beginning a new life in Portugal with Jacob. While he returned, she did not – and hasn’t been seen since.
David, meanwhile, was a father figure to Jacob through his relationships with both Leyla and Alicia. He left the soap in 2023, after learning of Jacob’s relationship with partner Victoria.
While Jacob and David didn’t part on the best of terms, it’s still a surprise that he wouldn’t return in Jake’s time of need.
David left Emmerdale in 2023 (Credit: ITV)
Why aren’t David and Alicia returning to Emmerdale?
Jacob revealed this week that neither Alica nor David would be attending Leyla’s send-off. Their excuses? Alicia has a broken leg, and is therefore unable to travel from Portugal to the village.
David, meanwhile, is absent as son Theo is ill. In real-life, that’s because actors Natalie Anderson and Matthew Wolfenden are no longer in the soap, with no plans (as yet!) to return.
But for fans, that excuse isn’t good enough.
Alicia’s excuses aren’t good enough for some (Credit: ITV/YouTube)
David and Alicia should be at Leyla’s funeral, Emmerdale fans demand
Writing on social media as this week’s scenes aired, viewers shared their frustration at the missing characters.
“It’s ridiculous that neither Alicia or David ain’t coming. I understand that David and Jacob are not on the best of terms but I feel like he still would have came to pay his respects to his son mother no matter what. Then they wrote some lame excuse about Alicia breaking her leg are you kidding me?” asked one fan on Reddit.
“Recast and better reasons are options here. E.g. Alicia is on a cruise, something that would actually prevent her from attending the funeral of her sister and supporting her child rather than an inconvenience,” another ageed.
“Who needs enemies when you have family like David and Alicia,” joked a third, over on X.
“I’s ridiculous, writers should check if actors would come back before writing someone’s exit. They should have just shoved Leyla in a taxi, it makes more sense than Alicia not bothering to turn up to support Jacob,” said a fourth.
Has Emmerdale ruined Leyla’s exit with a poor send-off?
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
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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.
Is Matthew Wolfenden returning for Leyla’s funeral? (Credit: ITV)
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.”
Surely Leyla’s own sister will be at her funeral (Credit: ITV)
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.
It would make sense for Priya to be at the funeral (Credit: ITV)
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.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release at 7am on ITVX.Â
Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3.
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Actor Matthew Wolfenden has teased a potential David Metcalfe return to Emmerdale, revealing that he’s open to reprising the role.
The star left the soap near the end of 2023, with David burning bridges with his son Jacob over his (really icky) romance with Victoria.
But, after finishing his 2023 stint in Elf the Musical, Matthew’s now revealed that he’s not against coming back to the show.
Matthew isn’t against returning (Credit: ITV)
Emmerdale star Matthew Wolfenden teases future David Metcalfe return
Leaving the show in November 2023, Matthew took on the role of Buddy the Elf in Elf the Musical for an eight week stint.
But, now that he’s finished this role, he’s considering coming back to the Emmerdale village at some point in the future.
Speaking to The Sun, Matthew opened up on his decision to leave the soap after 17 years. He admitted that there was a ‘rule’ that the soap doesn’t let its stars have a break from the show for panto or other productions.
He then made the decision to quit Emmerdale after 17 years to take on the role of Buddy.
But, now, he’s reminisced about his time on the show and has hinted at a potential return in the future.
Noting that the door was left open for the character, Matthew said: “Luckily, John Whiston, 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’ obviously 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.
“It’s on my doorstep and it’s a great place to work and the people are fantastic.”
He was in a relationship with David’s former partner after all!
But, with Leyla’s upcoming exit being reported, Jacob will soon be without a parental figure in the village. So, could David make amends with his son and return to be with him again?
We also know that Pollard’s got himself into some financial difficulty recently. Could David return to support his dad through this?
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
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Jacob Gallagher has managed to break Sarah Sugden’s heart twice in as many weeks, and now he’s facing the wrath of her grandma, Charity.
And frankly, we think he deserves it! Because Jacob’s history with women is, well, chequered, to say the least.
Jacob was undoubtedly damaged by his grooming and abuse at the hands of his teacher Maya Stepney, so perhaps that’s why he’s proved very careless with the hearts of his girlfriends since.
And that’s not really a surprise given the role models he has. His dad David Metcalfe is a serial monogamist who has a long list of failed marriages and relationships to his name. Not to mention very questionable taste in partners – Maya was his girlfriend when she was grooming teenage Jacob, and he also had a very toxic romance with serial killer Meena Jutla.
And let’s not forget that Jacob’s mum Leyla Harding has been very unlucky in love.
But while all that is a reason for Jacob being so careless with other people’s feelings, we don’t reckon it’s an excuse. Here’s a rundown of all his romances and where they went wrong – perhaps next time he’ll get it right.
Liv and Jacob had a short-lived romance but he was using her (Credit: ITV)
Jacob’s history with women: Liv Flaherty
Liv liked Jacob but he didn’t feel the same way – until he did. But it turned out his youthful romance with Liv was actually a cover for his grim abuse at the hands of Maya.
Jacob was so determined to keep his feelings for Maya a secret that he used Liv, not caring about how she felt. Not cool, Jacob.
Jacob thought he loved Maya but she was manipulating him (Credit: ITV)
Maya Stepney
Of course, Jacob’s bad behaviour at that time wasn’t entirely his fault – he was being groomed by teacher Maya. She convinced him that the pair were in love. Maya was in a relationship with Jacob’s dad David at the time, but she still managed to persuade Jacob – who was just 15 when their romance began – that they were meant to be. When Jacob turned 16, the pair slept together.
It took Jacob a while to realise that their relationship was based on Maya’s manipulation and he struggled to get over it. Maya was later jailed for exchanging inappropriate text messages with Jacob.
Jacob was unkind to Leanna at first (Credit: ITV)
Leanna Cavanagh
With his heart still shattered after Maya, Jacob turned to Leanna who had feelings for him. They slept together but Leanna – who had never slept with a boy before – was devastated when he turned on her. He told her he’d only slept with her because she was nice to him. He said he’d never be into her.
Jacob did see the error of his ways, and apologised to Leanna. She forgave him and the pair agreed to go back to being friends.
But the pair grew closer and by Leanna’s 18th birthday they were in love and planning to go travelling together.
Tragedy struck though when Leanna was murdered by Meena, leaving Jacob’s heart shattered once more.
Bit icky (Credit: ITV)
Jacob’s history with women: Victoria Sugden
It took Jacob a long time to recover from Leanna’s death, and when he eventually fell in love again, Emmerdale viewers were not on board!
Because Jacob fell for his dad’s ex-girlfriend Victoria Sugden!
Victoria was in fact closer in age to Jacob than she had been to David, but she was still nine years his senior, and her previous role as his sort-of-step-mum made the whole thing feel a bit ick.
The pair were really into each other, and ploughed on with their romance despite the disapproval of everyone around them.
David was so horrified by his son’s new relationship that he disowned him and moved to London (which we can’t help thinking was a bit of an over-reaction). Leyla wasn’t happy about it either, and nor was Jacob’s grandfather, Eric Pollard.
But the romance was short-lived (thankfully because it made us cringe).
Sarah’s smitten but does Jacob feel the same? (Credit: ITV)
Sarah Sugden
Now Jacob’s being hot and cold with Vic’s niece, Sarah. He’s admitted he likes her but he’s worried about her health condition that could mean she dies young. And he’s already upset her by criticising her drinking when she ended up in A&E, and flaunting one-night-stand Sian in the village.
Could they make a go of things? Only time will tell.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs weekdays at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm on ITV3.Â
Follow our Facebook page @EmmerdaleInsider for the latest Emmerdale spoilers, news and gossip. Or find us on Twitter @EmmerdaleInside. Let us know your thoughts!
After rescheduling, Jacob ended up working in A&E on the day Sarah happened to get drunk and be admitted as a patient.
Sarah had felt the need to drink after Jacob had failed to give her the attention she was looking for. Jacob then realised that he needed to put his studies before dating.
Well, that idea didn’t last long as last night Leyla caught him with a fellow med student called Sian. It turned out he’d spent the night with her… and this information didn’t go unnoticed by Sarah either. Oh Jacob. Do you not have any slight bit of conscience?
Is there a comparison to be made? (Credit: ITV)
Fans blast Jacob for mistreatment of women in David comparison
With Jacob not being the slightest bit considerate to Sarah’s feelings, fans have now compared his awful treatment of women to that of his dad, David. We’re not sure Jacob would be too happy about this one considering the circumstances surrounding David’s departure.
David never had the best track record with women. He dated a fair few of them but never really treated them well enough for them to stick around long term. And, now, it looks like his son could be following in his footsteps.
One disgusted fan wrote: “Ah Jacob has his dad’s way with women, here meaning he treats them terribly. Poor Sarah. But seemingly a good thing for Jacob as his sexual partner is neither awful nor with his dad for once.”
Another person commented: “I’m shocked at his behaviour. I really didn’t think he was like that. Poor Sarah. Leyla thinking what he did is okay is just as bad. When she thought he was dating Sarah she told him his studies should come first but when he’s with a fellow trainee doctor it’s okay. Talk about looking down on Sarah.”
A third person wondered: “So will Jacob be working his way through the hospital staff with one night stands?”
Jacob’s definitely picked up a few tips (or lack of tips) from David we reckon. Although, he did date his dad’s ex at one point, so that shouldn’t surprise us!
When you think of Emmerdale, you think of Eric Pollard and his family. As the longest-serving character in the soap, Eric has been a resident of the village for nearly 40 years.
He arrived in the Dales on September 30, 1986, and quickly made his mark as a villainous schemer.
Over the years, Eric’s family have entered the picture. To date, Eric has been married five times. His fifth wife, and one true love Valerie Pollard, left him a widower after she died in 2015.
Eric’s son, David Metcalfe, also spent 17 years in the Dales, and gave Eric his two grandchildren, Amba and Theo.
Here’s all you need to know about the Pollard clan.
Eric Pollard is loved by millions (Credit: ITV)
Eric Pollard – head of the family in Emmerdale
The Pollard family is headed by the one and only, Mr Eric Pollard. The village veteran is played by Chris Chittell, who’s the longest-serving actor on Emmerdale.
Eric was introduced to the soap in 1986 and was only meant to stay for 12 episodes. However, his immoral antics were an instant hit with viewers and he was soon made a permanent character.
From the off, Eric made himself unpopular with the locals. The sly and cunning schemer was always up to no good, whether it was committing theft, fraud, or even bigamy!
Eric has always had a taste for alcohol and an eye for the ladies. He’s had five marriages, and plenty of flings in between. One of these resulted in his son David, who was born in 1981. Eric knew nothing of David’s existence until he rocked up in the village in 2006.
The pair made up for lost time and grew close. Whilst far from a model parent, Eric has proved himself to have a paternal instinct. As well as being there for David, he and wife number five, Val, took in wayward teen Amy Wyatt (now Barton).
Time has mellowed Eric, that and his ailing health. In 2023, Eric was dealt a shattering blow when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Thankfully, there’s still life in the old dog yet, and Eric is being supported by his friends and neighbours.
David Metcalfe – the son of Eric Pollard
David Metcalfe is the son of Eric Pollard, father to Amba and Theo Metcalfe, and stepfather to Jacob Gallagher.
He was the product of an affair between Eric and a lady called Lydia. Eric had walked out on Lydia when she was pregnant, but didn’t know about David’s existence. When David revealed his true identity, Eric demanded he take a DNA test. This confirmed he was his son.
David settled in the Dales and went on to open David’s Shop, which is located in the heart of the village. Much like his father, David was a ladies’ man. The David Beckham doppelganger’s conquests included Delilah Dingle, Jasmine Thomas, Nicola King (before she was married to Jimmy) and Leyla Harding.
David was married three times. Twice to Leyla’s sister Alica Harding, and once to Tracy Shankley, who supported him through his battle against testicular cancer in 2015.
He has three children. His stepson, Jacob came into David’s life in 2010 after he started dating his biological mum, Leyla.
His daughter Amba was conceived during a fling with her mum, Priya Sharma. And David’s son Theo is the product of his ill-fated romance with schoolteacher Maya Stepney.
Maya was sent to prison for grooming Jacob, and baby Theo arrived on the doorstep on Christmas Day 2019. The paternity of the tot was in question, but a DNA test confirmed David was the daddy.
David started an on/off relationship with Victoria Sugden, but was heartbroken to discover she’d fallen for Jacob. Devastated by the betrayal, David quit the village in November 2023, taking Amba and Theo with him.
The Pollard family in Emmerdale: Eric’s wives
Eric’s first – and secret – wife, Eileen (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Eileen Pollock
Eileen Pollock was Eric’s first wife. They married in 1964 and had already split by the time Eric came to Emmerdale. She appeared in seven episodes of the soap in 1994 and was played by actress Arbel Jones.
During their time together, Eileen and Eric had had a son, Edward, who was tragically stillborn. Eric and Eileen parted ways a few years after Edward’s passing but never actually divorced. Eric then changed his surname to Pollard in a deliberate move to stop Eileen from finding him.
However, Eileen discovered Eric’s whereabouts after reading about the death of his new wife, Elizabeth Feldmann, in the plane crash of December 1993.
In March 1994, Eileen turned up in the village. She threatened to expose Eric as a bigamist unless he paid her off. Eileen got what she wanted and left the village, never to be seen again.
Tragedy struck for Pollard with second wife, Elizabeth (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Elizabeth Pollard
Elizabeth Pollard (nee Jeffries) was the second wife of Eric. She came to the village in 1990 along with her two children from a previous marriage – Michael and Elsa.
A love triangle formed between Elizabeth, Eric and Alan Turner, but it was Pollard who won her heart. The couple became husband and wife in October 1992, but Elizabeth had no idea that Eric was still married to Eileen.
Elizabeth thought she was the woman who could tame Eric. But she then found out he was planning to commit fraud and frame her son for the crime. She threatened to report Eric to the police, but didn’t get the chance after being killed when an airliner exploded over the village.
Speculation was rife amongst the locals that Eric had murdered his wife. It was concluded in 2011 Elizabeth had died after being struck by falling debris.
Eric and Dee got hitched after meeting on holiday (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Dee de la Cruz
Diwata Margharita ‘Dee’ de la Cruz (previously Pollard) was the third wife of Eric Pollard. The couple met when Eric made a trip to the Far East in 1997 and ended up falling for Filipino student Dee.
Following a whirlwind romance, Eric popped the question and then Dee followed him back to the village. Their unlikely courtship raised a few eyebrows amongst the locals, but it seemed like the real deal when Eric and Dee married in May 1997.
Their union didn’t last long due to Eric’s possessive behaviour. When a letter arrived saying Dee’s mother was ill, Eric thought it was a scam to get money out of him. He hid the letter, preventing Dee from getting the chance to see her mother – who died shortly afterwards.
When Dee discovered what Eric had done she left him and the Dales. Their marriage was annulled.
Gloria betrayed Eric and left him high and dry (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Gloria Weaver
Eric’s fourth wife was veterinary surgery receptionist Gloria Weaver. She was introduced to Emmerdale in May 2000 as a member of Reverend Ashley Thomas’s congregation. Gloria disapproved of Ashley’s relationship with Bernice Blackstock and was very vocal in making it known.
Eric and Gloria became involved when he purchased some of her old antiques and the pair hit it off. After their marriage in 2002, Gloria set her sights on a career in politics.
Her ruthless nature became apparent when she told Eric to bed fellow councillor Glynis Hardy to increase his chances of becoming mayor.
Eric did as he was told and was duly elected, but when his dalliance with Glynis became public knowledge, Gloria refused to stand by her man.
She stood for election and won her own seat, then relocated to London and began an affair with her young male colleague.
Gloria was caught out by Steph Stokes and forced to tell Eric she’d been unfaithful. He responded by throwing her out on the street. As a final act of revenge, Gloria faked her own death and went off to start a new life elsewhere.
Val was really the true love of Pollard in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Val Lambert
The love of Eric’s life was his fifth wife, the late Valerie ‘Val’ Pollard (nee Lambert), played by Charlie Hardwick.
Val was an irrepressible force – outspoken, opinionated, with a huge lust for life and tendency for troublemaking. She was the younger sister of Diane Sugden and mother of Paul and Sharon Lambert.
Eric more than met his match in Val and their chemistry was an instant hit with the viewers. The couple set up their own fabrics company, but their relationship ran into trouble when Eric started putting his political career ahead of Val.
They reconciled, married in 2008 and purchased The Grange B&B. Two years on, Val and Eric took on teenage tearaway Amy Wyatt.
The Pollards’ marriage hit the rocks not long after and Val fled to Portugal. She returned with a little more than a suntan after finding out she’d contracted HIV from her holiday fling, Ian Chamberlain.
Val’s diagnosis caused her and Eric to split up for a while, but they found their way back to one another and soon started cooking up new scams.
In 2015, Val planned to fake her own death after she helped Carly Hope and her dad Bob commit fraud. The idea was for Val to ‘die’ to avoid going to prison, then she and Eric could start a new life abroad together.
Unfortunately Val never got that far when she was one of the villagers killed off in the Summer Fete storyline of August 2015.
Val met her maker in the Hall of Mirrors after being impaled by a shard of glass – a gloriously gothic exit for her character. She rose from the dead a few days later, appearing as a ghost to bid a final farewell to Eric.
The Pollard family in Emmerdale: Eric’s grandchildren
Jacob betrayed dad David, but Pollard forgave him (Credit: ITV)
Jacob Gallagher
Although not biologically Eric’s grandson, for all intents and purposes these two are close family. Jacob, played by Joe-Warren Plant is the adopted son of David and calls Pollard grandad.
Eric has been by Jacob’s side supporting him through lives ups and downs – including his affair with teacher Maya Stepney. Although Pollard and Jacob fell out when the young Gallagher started dating Victoria Sugden, they have reconciled.
Jacob is now supporting Eric through his Parkinson’s diagnosis and is there for his grandad every step of the way.
Priya and David’s daughter Amba (Credit: ITV)
Amba Metcalfe
Amba Metcalfe is David Metcalfe’s daughter from his relationship with Priya Kotecha and Eric Pollard’s granddaughter. The character was played by Ava Jayasinghe.
She was born in May 2014 on the back seat of a car after Priya went into labour six weeks early. Amba was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with sepsis, but thankfully made a full recovery.
The youngster left the Dales in January 2023 when Priya accepted a job offer in London. Dad David went to join the family when he departed the village in November 2023.
Little Theo in Emmerdale was fortunately not hurt by killer Meena (Credit: ITV)
Theo Metcalfe
Theodore Eric ‘Theo’ Metcalfe is the son David fathered with his ex-girlfriend Maya Stepney. He’s the half-brother of Amba Metcalfe and Eric Pollard’s grandson.
Maya gave birth to Theo in November 2019 and gave him the name, Alex. On Christmas Day she abandoned her baby son on David’s doorstep with a note asking to look after him. Theo now lives with David full time.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
Visit our Facebook page@emmerdaleinsider for all the latest Emmerdale news, gossip and spoilers and let us know what you think! Or find us on Twitter@emmerdaleinside
David’s shop is the place to go in Emmerdale if you need a pint of milk or loaf of bread. Think of it like a convenience store, but packed full of artisan goodies and with its own personalised jute bags.
A valued local business, it’s situated on Church Lane and attached to Farrers Farm.
It was given the eponymous title from former owner, David Metcalfe, who was in charge from 2015 until his departure from the Dales in 2023.
Many of the village residents have worked behind the till of the shop, and it’s seen its fair amount of action over the years.
Rodney originally had the premises as his Antique Barn (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
The history of David’s shop in Emmerdale
Back before it was a shop, the building was actually a barn. From here, Rodney Blackstock used to run his antiques business.
But that all changed when the wealthy Wylde family arrived in the village and set up residence in Home Farm.
Wyldes Home Farm Fayre was destroyed early on (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Wyldes Home Farm Fayre
Keen to make her mark, Natasha Wylde decided to open a shop in the centre of the community, providing customers with wholesome, local produce.
The clan purchased the barn, converting it into a shop and living area and giving it the name Wyldes Home Farm Fayre (don’t even get us started on the missing apostrophe!)
Doug Potts and Leyla Harding were employed as co-managers, while Rodney was given the job of delivery driver.
The shop had only been open a matter of days when Rodney left the handbrake off his van. The vehicle crashed into the shop, trapping Doug, Leyla and Ryan Lamb inside.
But as money was no problem for the Wyldes, they just fixed the damage and reponed within days.
Leyla’s tenure didn’t last long (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Leyla’s
In 2011, co-manager Leyla became the new owner of the farm shop and renamed it Leyla’s.
She bought the business with her boyfriend David Metcalfe, but their partnership – professional and romantic – wasn’t to go the distance.
The couple split the same year and Leyla sold her share to David.
The sign was eventually repainted properly! (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
David’s shop in Emmerdale
After Leyla dumped him and the Dales, David took full control of the store. Following in his predecessor’s unimaginative footsteps, David named the shop after himself!
And there he remained until June 2015 when David decided to emigrate to Portugal with then-wife Alicia Gallagher.
He sold the business to Bob Hope’s daughter, Carly, a move which turned out to be very unwise…
Carly was not the right person for the job (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Carly Hope takes over
Carly’s reign over the shop was nothing short of shambolic.
She renamed the business Hope for the Best, which should have been an indication to expect the worst. Carly had absolutely zero interest in running the business and even turned up to its unveiling drunk.
And when a burst pipe wrecked all the shop’s merchandise, Carly confessed she hadn’t taken out any insurance. To cover the costs, she and local bad boy Ross Barton robbed a truck to get cash for the repairs.
Carly was eventually forced to confess everything and Brenda Walker reported her to the police.
Wanted for fraud, Carly went on the run, leaving the shop empty.
David’s return to his shop in Emmerdale
David returned and reclaimed his shop at a reduced price when it went under the hammer.
He gave the place a makeover, with a fancy deli bar, and even gave Carly a job so she could repay him.
2021 saw the arrival of the shop’s new delivery bike, which was brought in as part of a drive to be more eco-friendly.
David also brought in his stepson Jacob Gallagher and Kerry Wyatt to run things during his breaks away from the village.
David had branded bags and everything (Credit: ITV/Shutterstock)
Pollard takes over
In 2022, David ran into severe financial difficulty at the shop. His then-girlfriend Victoria Sugden sold off the land she had inherited from her grandmother, Annie, to bail him out.
However David just kept spending and got into even more trouble when he decided to start doing deliveries and then got a speeding ticket that would have lost him his licence.
In a bid to cover his tracks he put the ticket in Victoria’s name. When she found out she was fuming. They broke up, and David was forced to take his punishment.
Still in debt, David was eventually bailed out by his dad. Eric Pollard, who had sold the B&B to retire with Brenda and travel the world, bought David out.
Then David left town for good and Eric is saddled with running a shop he never really wanted. Tracy currently manages the place, with Jacob helping out too.
Shop wars
Leyla Harding was caught with her fingers in the till when she stole £250 to buy a pair of fancy shoes she’d had her eye on.
Nathan Wylde blackmailed her over the theft, but got his comeuppance when David discovered what he was up to.
And in 2015, David’s grand re-opening had to be pushed back when his dad Eric Pollard trashed the shop in a grief-induced rage, the damage of which took weeks to put right.
Pollard also found himself caught up in an armed robbery when two youths tried to raid David’s and ended up with a broken arm.
Births, marriages and deaths
Unsurprisingly no marriages have taken place the shop, but there have been a couple of baby dramas and near fatalities.
Nicola King went into labour with daughter Angelica while locked inside the shop, but thankfully made it to hospital in time to give birth.
And history repeated itself in 2014 when David’s ex-girlfriend Priya Sharma’s waters broke in front of his wife, Alicia.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm.
Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.
