Coronation Street star Melanie Hill has confirmed she has left the soap as Cathy Matthews after seven years.
The actress, who joined the cobbles back in 2015, revealed that she made an "extremely emotional" decision to step away to focus on her family after taking stock during the COVID-19 pandemic, and filmed her final scenes over two weeks ago.
"It's not been an easy thing to decide," she told The Mirror. "My family has been important but the pandemic has made a lot of people think about the future. It has changed a lot of things in my head. You've just got to see what's important to you. I absolutely love everybody but it's made me think about my family a lot and what the priorities are in my life."
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Melanie added that the soap has "been absolutely fantastic" about her exit, confirming that the door is open for a return.
"I won't say where Cathy goes but I'm a stone's throw away from Weatherfield," she said. "My nephew Alex, played by Liam Bairstow, is there and Peter Gunn, who plays Brian Packham, so the door is open for me to come back – and that's a great compliment.
"I'm flattered and grateful. You never know what's around the corner there, so let's see what happens."
John Whiston, head of ITV in the north, said: "Cathy has been a fantastic Corrie character, whether that's leaving us in fits of laughter or breaking our hearts as, yet again, Brian doesn’t live up to her romantic expectations.
"We're sad Melanie is taking time away – she is such a skilled actress that she can deliver sadness and laughter, drama and comedy often in the same scene. We will all miss her hugely."
Teasing her final episodes, Melanie said: "They've written some really nice stuff for Peter and I, and my nephew Alex. It's pretty emotional. The story shows middle-aged people who really do care about each other but it's not quite working out. I think it's really realistic."
Related: Coronation Street stars reunite after Alexandra Mardell's exit
According to The Mirror, Cathy's final scenes will air next month, and see her leave after her relationship with Brian Packham appears to run its course.
Digital Spy has reached out to the soap for further comment.
The actress further revealed that she was hoping to "do jobs now that [she'll] be able to work around [her] family".
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV and streams on the ITV Hub.
Read more Coronation Street spoilers on our dedicated homepage.
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