Emmerdale fans have voiced their disappointment over a controversial decision regarding Leyla Harding’s funeral, 

calling it “ridiculous” that two of the most important people in her life—Alicia Gallagher and David Metcalfe—will not be attending. 

Viewers were left frustrated as Monday’s episode (March 3) confirmed that both characters would be absent, leaving Leyla’s son, Jacob Gallagher, to grieve without their support.

Jacob’s Heartbreaking Realization

The episode saw Jacob struggling to come to terms with his mother’s death. 

While speaking to his friend Sarah Sugden, he revealed that his father, David, had decided not to attend the funeral. 

After an emotional phone call, Jacob shared his disappointment, explaining, “Alicia’s claiming she’s broke her leg and Dad’s using Theo’s illness as an excuse.”

Clearly overwhelmed, Jacob expressed his frustration, feeling as though he was the only one who truly cared about Leyla. Sarah reassured him that she would stand by his side, recognizing how much he was struggling. Jacob also admitted that he hadn’t returned home since Leyla’s passing, unable to face the painful reminders of his loss.

Fans Outraged Over Missing Characters

Leyla was one of the confirmed casualties of the devastating limo crash. Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, she was pronounced dead before reaching the hospital after being impaled by a shard of glass. Jacob, who was working at the hospital at the time, was seen running frantically through the halls, desperate to find his mother. When he finally did, the heartbreaking moment of realization that she was gone left viewers emotional.

However, what shocked many fans even more was the revelation that Alicia and David would not be present for her funeral. Viewers took to social media to criticize the decision, arguing that it made no sense for such significant characters in Leyla’s life to miss the event.

Fans Express Disappointment Online

On a popular online forum, one viewer, u/SoapFan85, expressed their frustration, stating, “Something in particular about tonight’s episode actually made me sad after Leyla’s death. The fact that Alicia and David will not come back for the funeral, leaving Jacob to mourn alone, did surprise me in a way.

“I thought they would go all out for a Leyla send-off and just hoped Alicia and/or David would come back just for the episodes, but this doesn’t seem to be happening. I get people not wanting to come back or sometimes they’re not asked, but it just feels a bit meh given Leyla’s history with the show.”

Another fan, u/Ok-Concept-8893, criticized the show’s reasoning behind the characters’ absences: “It’s ridiculous that neither Alicia nor David are coming. I understand that David and Jacob are not on the best of terms, but I feel like he still would have come to pay his respects to his son’s mother no matter what.

“Then they wrote some lame excuse about Alicia breaking her leg—are you kidding me? Emmerdale dropped the ball for a character like Leyla, who has been on the show for years. She deserved better.”

A third fan, u/Wonderful-Cow-9664, suggested a way the show could have handled the situation more realistically: “They could have done what other programmes have done, and had the characters come back in the background—they don’t need to have any actual screen time.

“Just having them mentioned as being there, or seeing the back of a lookalike’s head in the church scenes would have sufficed. It’s just not realistic to let a young lad grieve by himself.”

A Funeral Without Closure

With Leyla’s funeral set to air in the upcoming episode, emotions are running high as Jacob faces the difficult farewell alone. Many fans believe that even a brief mention of Alicia and David attending in some capacity would have been a better way to honor Leyla’s legacy. Instead, the decision to write them out of this crucial moment has left viewers feeling that the beloved character’s send-off is incomplete.

As Emmerdale continues to unfold in the wake of Leyla’s tragic death, fans will be watching closely to see how Jacob copes with the loss and whether the absence of Alicia and David will be further addressed.

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