Emmerdale’s Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) and Sarah Dingle (Katie Hill) have been enjoying a few lovely dates, and now they’re ready for the big next step.
The pair started dating over Christmas when they realised there were sparks between them, but it’s not been the nice, easy, young romance they’d hoped it might be. The reason being –Jacob’s mum is Leyla (Roxy Shahidi).
Leyla has never been a fan of Jacob’s love life – which while it might be every mother’s prerogative, particularly when he shacked up with his dad’s girlfriend Victoria (Isabel Hodgins), it’s meant Jacob hasn’t been able to make his own decisions about his love life.
Leyla made her feelings so clear about Vic that it ultimately led to their breakup. Leyla was gleeful, Jacob was crushed.
That’s mostly behind him now, but Leyla’s dislike for his choices in companions continues. You’d be forgiven for thinking she’d be glad Jacob was finally interested in someone his own age, but instead, Leyla inadvertently tries to sabotage their early-stage dating.
The young couple also face other barriers to their fledgling romance. Jacob is under massive pressure on his very first uni placement in A&E. He has a whole month in the fast-paced emergency department – it’s what he’s been dreaming of for years, but even he wasn’t prepared for it being as high-pressured as this.
Actor Joe-Warren Plant gave us an insight into Jacob’s nerves: ‘I think he’s generally very excited. He’s been dreaming of this day for a long time. So I think that is his main emotion. I think it’s only later on in the day when the apprehensions start to show and he does start to feel a little overwhelmed.’
This doesn’t bode well for him and Sarah – he can only be pulled in so many directions.
He and Sarah are hit with a new obstacle for their new romance when she is admitted to A&E drunk. Jacob is of course concerned for the new woman in his life, while also trying to remain professional.
Sarah pulls through, but when she later sees Jacob hanging out with his work buddies, she is devastated when they recognise her as the woman who was admitted to A&E drunk. They berate her for her actions, taking up precious resources over silly behaviour, and instead of jumping to her defence, Jacob stands there, complicit.
He’s left feeling horribly guilty and finds her later to profusely apologise.
She accepts, and as emotions overwhelm them, the pair fall into bed together. Seems like this is really going somewhere, but is it?
Joe-Warren says: ‘I think Jacob is a really kind-hearted person but at the same time I would say he is very impulsive and he does let the emotions get the better of him in certain situations and it ultimately leads to him falling out with his friends and family.
‘So, one thing I would say to Jacob is to take some time out for himself to deal with the pressures that he is going to be facing.’
Will he dump Sarah to focus on his career?
