Coronation Street's Alexandra Mardell has revealed why she decided to quit her role as Emma Brooker.
Her exit is due to air very soon and the actress shared that she 'burst into uncontrollable tears' as she finished filming her final scenes. The much-loved character will depart in scenes being kept under wraps until transmission, amid the character keeping a dark secret.
At the start of the year, Emma and Faye Windass accidentally ran over an elderly man called Ted with him later dying. The girls managed to keep it a secret but in upcoming scenes the truth is due to come out, leading to Emma waving goodbye to the cobbles.
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Speaking to the press, actress Alexandra revealed that it wasn't an easy decision to leave the show. She said: "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."
She explained what she hoped to go onto next, as she said: "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."
But when filming her final scenes, the actress felt 'overwhelmed' and burst into tears. She said: "I was so lucky and really pleased that my last scene was my last scene, especially with covid still lurking around and schedules have been changing. I was lucky that happened for me, and I was not expecting it to be that emotional. I knew obviously I was gonna be upset saying bye to everyone.
"As soon as the AD said ‘that's a wrap, that’s Alexandra’s last scene,’ I burst into tears uncontrollably. I could not stop and I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I was so overwhelmed and I think all of the support of the cast and crew, being there at that moment as well coming to say goodbye, it really overwhelmed me. I was very upset and sad to say goodbye."
However, Alexandra hope that the door at the ITV soap is left open for her character's return one day. She confirmed that Emma would not be killed off.
She said: "I’m so pleased, I’m really, really pleased. 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."
Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday on ITV and ITV Hub
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