Coronation Street favourite Sue Cleaver is set to leave the cobbles after 25 years.
The star has played outspoken and uncomplicated Eileen Grimshaw in the ITV show since 2000. However, the 61-year-old actress has made the decision to leave the character behind.
Cleaver said: “I’ve had 25 privileged years of working on Coronation Street. The door is still firmly open, but as I reached my 60th year I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures and live fearlessly.”
It is understood Cleaver made the decision to leave in summer, after making an appearance in the Sister Act musical tour, the PA News Agency reports. This saw her return to stage for the first time in around three decades.
An exit storyline for Eileen will be aired in the spring.
Producer Kate Brooks said: “We’re sad to bid farewell to the wonderful Sue Cleaver. Over the past 25 years, Eileen Grimshaw has been at the heart of some of the most memorable and iconic Corrie storylines, and her onscreen rivalry with Gail Platt will undoubtedly go down in Corrie folklore.
“There’s certainly no-one quite like Eileen, and her character will be hugely missed on the cobbles. We wish Sue all the very best as she embarks on her next exciting chapter.”
Eileen entered the soap to work at the local taxi firm, StreetCars, to provide for her two tearaway teenage children, Jason (Ryan Thomas) and Todd (Bruno Langley). She soon became friends with her boss Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) and came into conflict with Gail.
Their feud began following relationship issues between Gail’s daughter Sarah (Tina O’Brien) and Eileen’s son Todd, and culminated in the two mothers fighting on the cobbles.
Helen Worth who played Gail Rodwell (Worth) left the soap after 50 years at Christmas. She swapped Weatherfield for a new life in France, after she finally got her happy ending by marrying Jesse Chadwick, played by John Thomson.
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