Coronation Street's Kym Marsh has decided to leave the soap after playing Michelle Connor for 13 years. The actress, who initially found fame as one-fifth of pop band Hear'Say, joined the soap in 2006 and was only supposed to be a small part, but was so incredibly popular with viewers that she was made to be a more permanent part of the show.
However, the 42-year-old has now released a statement to confirm her exit from the soap, revealing that she wants to "explore other roles" but asserted that she'd definitely "be back" in the future.
She said, "When I was lucky enough to be offered four episodes I could never in my wildest dreams have thought I'd be here 13 years later. It's been an incredibly difficult decision but it feels like the right time for me to explore some other roles.
"But this isn't the last you’ve heard of Michelle Connor – she'll be back! I can't wait to see what the writers have in store for the future."
Swipe through to see all the Coronation Street spoilers you need to know for this week...
Coronation Street spoilers: week 9 - slider
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Billy offers to accompany Shona to Dane's funeral, but when they arrive Macca approaches the car and tells them they're not welcome.
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Ignoring his threats, Billy and Shona attend the funeral anyway, but it's not long before they realise something is amiss.
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Macca and Clayton are exchanging conspiratorial glances.
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When the earth has been scattered, Shona is shocked when Macca and one of the undertakers attack the prison guard and free Clayton.
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During the struggle, Billy manages to wrestle Macca to the ground, but Billy escapes.
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Back at home, David is furious to learn of the events at the funeral and, convinced that Clayton will come after his kids, tells Sarah to pack a bag and leave.
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But when David learns the full extent of Shona's betrayal, he orders her to leave, saying that if he finds Clayton before the police do, he'll kill him.
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Hurt, Shona flees the house and jumps into David's car to get away. But when she gets in, she finds Clayton already in the back, who demands she do as he say.
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The next day, Shona receives a call from Clayton, demanding she bring him money and meet him. Shona steals the £3k from David's tin in the house to bring to Clayton.
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When she meets him at the derelict warehouse he's hiding at, Clayton is on the phone to a police negotiator, who tells him and he tells them he's holding Shona hostage.
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Meanwhile, David discovers the missing money, but is convinced Sarah took it with the kids. When the police arrive at his house to explain what's happening with Shona, he is stunned.
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Racing to the derelict building, David is shocked to see a full crime scene in place and is told to stay back behind the police cordon.
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Clayton drags Shona outside, holding a knife to her throat. He makes his demands – £10k and a new car, or Shona dies.
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As Roy urges Carla to come clean to Abi, they are interrupted by Shona, who tells Carla the police are looking to question her in relation to the boat fire.
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Meanwhile, everyone is shocked when Gary says the damage to the roof will cost £60k, and he needs half the money up front for supplies.
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Later on, Roy tells Carla he'd like her to find somewhere else to live, leaving Carla devastated.
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Over a family dinner at Speed Daal to celebrate finally securing the new house, Tracy suggests that Amy could find out the sex of the baby at the next scan.
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The day of the scan rolls around and Tracy takes some time off work to spend some quality time with Amy before hand.
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Desperately trying to work out a way of getting out of it, Amy locks herself in the bathroom and refuses to attend the scan.
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Later on at the bistro, Vicky and Tracy argue about Kyle and the baby. Spoiling for a fight, Vicky lunges at Tracy and says that Kyle could have been put on the sex offenders register.
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Rita is fed up of cleaning up after Paul and suggests to Gemma that he find somewhere else to live. Feeling awkward, Gemma passes on the information.
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Paul is put out but puts on a brave face, promising to find somewhere else. Gemma is relieved he didn't make a scene.
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Kevin and Jack return home from their holiday, and solve the mystery of the missing money for Sally's party.
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Determined to clear Gina's name after she was accused of stealing it, Kevin accompanies her to the Rover's where he convinces Sally, Tim, Beth and Carla of her innocence. Kevin tells Gina she can stay with him at No.13.
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As a favour, Eileen asks Steve if he'll give Seb, who's still desperate for work, a job at Street Cars.
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Steve offers Seb the job – only to find out that Tim has already employed Abi in the role, AND told her she can stay at No. 4.
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Determined to stay by Sinead's side during her chemo, Daniel sets to work on his upcoming essay at the hospital.
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But with juggling his MA, his job at the bistro and looking after Sinead and the baby, Sinead worries he's doing too much.
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She convinces Daniel to let Brian take a look at his essay.
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But disaster strikes when Brian spills coffee over the laptop – and the essay is due tomorrow! Will he be able to salvage the work?
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Audrey invites Ken to come and see the new flat on Victoria Street with her. Ken tells her it will be nice to have her living so close again, but Audrey is horrified by the news that a bail hostel is being built nearby.
Show bosses have expressed their sorrow at Kym's departure, with the Mirror reporting that new boss Iain MacLeod was "desperate" to keep her on and executive producer John Whiston saying that they were "very sad" to see her go and added that she'd done a "fantastic job".
John said, "Kym has done a fantastic job on the show as Michelle Connor, bringing incredible heart and humanity to some hugely important stories.
"We will be really sad to lose her when she goes but totally understand that, after dedicating herself to the show for so long and so brilliantly, she now fancies trying something else for a while. We, and the audience, thank her and wish her well."
Kym has been involved in some huge storylines during her tenure on the show, the biggest of which was the absolutely devastating stillbirth storyline in 2017. Her character Michelle and husband Steve McDonald, played by Simon Gregson, tragically lost their son at a late stage in the pregnancy.
This was particularly poignant for the pair, as they had both suffered the tragedy in their own personal lives. Kym later won a British Soap Award for Best Female Dramatic Performance.
She's also looking forward to becoming a grandmother, as her daughter Emilie Cunliffe is expecting her first child, with Kym even sharing a snap of the 4D scan over the weekend.
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV.
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