Alexandra Mardell has revealed that she quit Coronation Street because she was keen to play "another character".
In episodes airing next week, the actress will leave the soap after four years starring as fan favourite Emma Brooker - daughter of Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) and '90s character Fiona Middleton (Angela Griffin).
Explaining her decision to leave, Mardell told journalists last week: "It was really, really difficult. Even now I'm like 'what have I done?!' I know it was right for me but I can see so easily why people stay there for 20, 60 years, because it is such an amazing place to work.
"But I just wanted to play another character. As much as I've got to explore Emma in so many different ways there's so many other people I would like to give a go as well.
"I've been lucky with the stories, I have been able to show lots of different sides of her."
The exact details of Emma's departure from Weatherfield have yet to be revealed, although Mardell has confirmed that the door will be left open for a future return.
"I'm so pleased, I'm really, really pleased," she continued. "Even saying goodbye was hard enough but that little kind of hope of one day, maybe it's a possibility I could go back, that keeps you going.
"It's not goodbye forever, you never know but I'm really glad she wasn't killed off.
"I'm definitely not drawing a line under it. As I say I can see how people stay there for so long, I don't know what the future holds but I'm just so glad Emma is alive and hopefully she remains alive."
Emma's final scenes are expected to air next Friday, April 8.
Neil Wilkes
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