Theatre star joins 'Emmerdale' cast

Emmerdale producers have signed up theatre star Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi to play new factory worker Leyla Harding.

Rokhsaneh, who has appeared in Rafta Rafta at the Royal National Theatre and the UK stage tour of East Is East, will be seen making her first appearance on the ITV1 soap later this month.

Leyla, described by soap chiefs as "streetwise" and "savvy", receives a warm welcome from her new factory colleagues and immediately gets on the right side of boss Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell). However, she is reluctant to talk about her past, sparking speculation about why she has moved to the village.

Rokhsaneh said: "I'm so excited. This is a brilliant opportunity for me as I've done lots of theatre but not much TV. Everyone at Emmerdale has been so warm and welcoming. It's such a well-established show and I can't wait to see what Leyla gets up to."

Emmerdale's series producer Anita Turner added: "Rokhsaneh is a terrific actress and an exciting new addition to the cast. Leyla's going to have some fun stirring up the factory."