Emmerdale fans have said they will 'boycott' the show if Jacob Gallagher doesn't pull through after he was stabbed in shocking scenes. Those tuning into the ITV soap on Wednesday evening (January 4) weren't expecting to see the uni student left bleeding from a stab wound after he confronted his mum's drug dealer.
Earlier this week, fans saw Leyla Cavanagh attempting to return to her previous drug-taking after being rejected by her husband, Liam. Last year, the wedding planner struggled with her feelings after being shot by serial killer Meena Jutla while also trying to support her Liam after the evil nurse pushed his daughter to her death on her 18th birthday.
Turning to drugs, Leyla hid her habit from her family until she ended up in the hospital. After a heartbreakingly tough talk from her son, Leyla decided to seek help and went away to rehab for months in order to save herself, and her relationships with her husband and family.
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However, her marriage to Liam ended up on the rocks when Liam struggled to understand Leyla's actions. And despite Leyla confessing her true feelings to Liam over the new year, to Liam, their relationship wasn't salvageable and he turned her down before prompting her to fill out their divorce papers.
Viewers then later saw her heartbroken and searching for her handbag for drugs. When all she found was an empty packet, she called her former drug dealer, Callum, and met him for more. But as she contemplated taking it, Jacob arrived and angrily hit out at his mum for going back to drugs, despite her innocent pleas.
As he searched her room for more, Jacob ended up locking Leyla in a faked a text to Callum from his mum saying she needed more drugs. When he came face to face with Callum, the teen pulled out a knife and threatened to slit his throat.
However, Jacob quickly came to regret his actions when the pair entered into a tussle which saw him as the one stabbed in the stomach. Callum was soon fleeing the scene and leaving a crying Jacob in danger of losing his life. And if he does, Emmerdale fans won't be happy about it.
@r.a.20x said: "IF YOU KILL JACOB OFF I'LL BOYCOTT EMMERDALE." @sue.mcdonald.3388630 wrote: "Hope Jacob isn't leaving." @Missmamma79 tweeted: "How could you #emmerdale? If Jacob is killed off, I will never be a statistic on your viewing figures again."
@mountfordsimon35 shared: "Please tell me ur not killing jacob of please don’t." @hayleyy.campbell posted: "Not Jacob, hopefully someone helps him." @itsms.bowen begged: "Please god don’t let him die." @gillian.blondie added: "Don’t kill Jacob off he’s a brilliant actor."
Others, however, were unhappy with the early evening scenes. @labona3675 tweeted: "Jacob stabbed.. Well before the watershed.. Disgusting.." @cj_freeway said: "#Emmerdale When we're supposed to be trying to get knife crime off the streets, I don't think it's responsible of Emmerdale to have Jacob running around with a knife."
@beverlyg61 wrote: "There's too much if this in the real world certainly dont need it in soaps !!! Carrying knives about is a no no and so wrong to show this on screen." But @_Kax_x, among others, argued in support of the move: "People complaining about Jacob and the stabbing being shown before the watershed need to really get a grip because s**t like this happens in real life and it should not be ignored. #Emmerdale."
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