Alison King, who plays popular character Carla Connor in ITV's Coronation Street, has revealed she is leaving the Weatherfield soap for good and not taking a sabbatical as previously reported.
The actress, who started her stint on the famous cobbles in 2006, said that while the show’s producers have made it possible for her to return, she is calling it quits.
Alison as Carla Connor (ITV)
She told Radio Times: “It’s been put out there that I’m taking a sabbatical, but I’m not.”
She added: “They’ve very graciously left the doors open for me to come back if I want to. And I haven’t ruled that out. But this is a new chapter for me.”
In May 2015, ITV released a statement saying Alison was “taking a sabbatical for creative reasons”.
Carla recently became engaged to Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) (ITV)
The 42-year-old said she only ever planned to be in the Weatherfield soap for four years initially.
During her time on the Street, Alison has been a key member of the Corrie cast.
Her character’s numerous troubles have included the breakdown of her first marriage to Paul Connor (played by Sean Gallagher), her second to Tony Gordon (Gray O’Brien) and her third to Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne).
Carla was a victim of rape, she was held hostage and battled alcoholism, and later attempted suicide.
Corrie’s Connor family (ITV/Joseph Scanlon/PA)
However, for many fans, the most memorable storyline was Carla’s torrid love triangle with brother-in-law Liam (played by Downton Abbey star Rob James-Collier) and his wife Maria (Samia Ghadie).
The doomed love affair ended brutally in 2008 when Carla’s jealous husband Tony hired someone to murder Liam.
Talking about her tenure, Alison said: “I’m now going into my 10th year. So all [my daughter] Daisy has ever known is me getting out of the house at 7.30 in the morning and getting back when she’s in bed.
“I’ve probably only ever done about 20 pick-ups or drop-offs in all the time she’s been at school, which is quite sad.”
Coronation Street continues Monday at 7.30pm on ITV
