Emmerdale’s Shila Iqbal - who starred in Blackpool-based film Eaten By Lions - says sorry over old tweets

Actress Shila Iqbal, who starred in Blackpool-based comedy Eaten By Lions, has apologised over offensive historic social media posts.
Shila Iqbal attending the Eaten By Lions UK premiere at The Courthouse Hotel on March 26, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)Shila Iqbal attending the Eaten By Lions UK premiere at The Courthouse Hotel on March 26, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)
Shila Iqbal attending the Eaten By Lions UK premiere at The Courthouse Hotel on March 26, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)

The Emmerdale star – who has been axed from her role on the ITV soap as a result of her six year old Twitter posts – said: “I am terribly sorry and take full responsibility for my use of such inappropriate 
language.

“I have paid the price and can no longer continue the job I loved the most at 
Emmerdale.

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“Although I was young when I made the tweets, it was still completely wrong of me to do so and I sincerely apologise.”

Iqbal, inset, who starred as Nadia in 2018 flick Eaten By Lions, which had its northern premiere at the Winter Gardens recently, had recently joined Emmerdale as regular Aiesha Richards.

An Emmerdale spokeswoman said: “As a consequence of historic social media posts Shila Iqbal has left her role as Aiesha Richards on Emmerdale.

“The programme took the decision not to renew her contract as soon as these posts were brought to the company’s attention.”

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Iqbal, who has also previously appeared in the BBC’s Citizen Khan, has since deleted her 
Twitter account.

Eaten By Lions tells the heart-warming story of half-brothers Omar (Antonio Aakeel) and Pete (Jack Carroll), who were raised by their grandma after their parents were killed by lions in a bizarre accident.

When their beloved grandma passes away, they embark on a life-changing journey to find Omar’s birth father in Blackpool.

It also stars Blackpool’s own Hayley Tamaddon in her first big screen performance.