EastEnders star Charlie Brooks has revealed that she plans to pursue more theatre roles after leaving the BBC soap.
The 32-year-old will bow out from her role as Janine Butcher in EastEnders over the Christmas season, although she will not be killed off.
She admitted to This Morning that she is "excited" about the thought of pursuing other projects in the coming year, and welcomes the opportunity to do more stage work.
Charlie, who also said she is looking forward to spending more time with her daughter Kiki, said: "It's really exciting. I always thought that as I head towards my mid-30s, that's going to be my time to really go and find my place in the acting world outside of EastEnders.
"I am really keen to do theatre. I'm really, really keen to do that, and so that's what we're working on at the moment," she added.
Janine's exit storyline begins tonight (Monday December 16) when she tells David Wicks the truth about how she killed her estranged husband Michael Moon and framed Alice Branning (Jasmyn Banks) for the murder.
David (Michael French) then tries to blackmail her, after secretly recording her confession.
"I think we can just say it's the unravelling of Janine and she does ease her conscience by putting her trust in David and telling him. But what I can't say is the outcome of that, but she's very hurt and very betrayed - and a hurt and betrayed Janine is probably not somebody you want to cross," she teased.
"What's interesting is Janine's demise, and how hurt she is by it. There are very few people in her life that she trusts."
Charlie added: "We're tying up a few loose ends in a couple of months' time, but it's Janine's exit and it's a goodie!"
