Emmerdale actress Shila Iqbal fired from series ober offensive tweets

Emmerdale actress Shila Iqbal has been fired from the series over offensive tweets that were sent in 2013.

Iqbal played Aiesha Richards on the soap and she has since apologised for using "inappropriate language" in tweets sent in 2013, when she was 19.

The 24-year-old deleted her entire Twitter account when the news came to light.

"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," she said in a statement.

She added: "The only consideration I would ask is that I have recently received hateful tweets telling me that as a Muslim my Emmerdale role means that I am 'committing sinful acts, promoting sin and deliberately going against the Quran'.

"We live in sensitive times for members of all communities and especially those in multi-racial Rochdale, where I grew up. I regret that I too have let people down by the use of such language, albeit six years ago."

Iqbal said she took responsibility for the language she used on social media as well as in conversation.

A spokesperson for the show confirmed Iqbal's departure from the show. "As a consequence of historic social media posts, Shila Iqbal has left her role as Aiesha Richards on Emmerdale," a spokesperson for the show said.

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