[Smithy]

Julie Hesmondhalgh will depart Coronation Street at the end of the year.

ITV has confirmed that the actress, who has played Hayley Cropper for 15 years, will leave to explore new projects.

"I've had the most wonderful and happy time in the life-changing 15/16 years I've been in Corrie, and I owe so much to the show and the special team that make it happen," Hesmondhalgh said.

"The decision to hang up Hayley's red anorak was a tough one, but doing the play at the Royal Exchange last year made me realise that there's life in the old dog yet (!) and that there are other things I want to try."

She added: "Whatever happens next I'll always be proudest of lovely Mrs Cropper and in particular what we achieved in changing attitudes to transgender and in portraying possibly the most loving, faithful and steadfast couple in soap history! I'll always be the show's biggest fan."

The show promised that its writers and producers were "working on storylines to ensure a dramatic exit plot for such an iconic character".

Executive producer Kieran Roberts said: "Who doesn't love Hayley Cropper? The character's warmth and decency, spiced with a great sense of fun and adventure, have put her at the heart of Coronation Street.

"The enduring popularity of and affection for Hayley - and of course her wonderful partnership with Roy - has so much to do with the brilliant way Julie Hesmondhalgh has brought the character to life on screen for the past 15 years.

"We'll be sorry to say farewell to Hayley - and to Julie - but we're planning a screen exit worthy of a one of Coronation Street's best-loved characters."

Hesmondhalgh joined the soap in 1998 as transsexual Hayley Patterson who met and eventually married cafe owner Roy Cropper (David Neilson).

The actress said last summer that she was "really grateful" to the soap for allowing her time off to appear Black Roses at Manchester's Royal Exchange.

Quite surprised by this, but don't think she'll be too badly missed, she hasn't had a proper storyline in ageeeeees

[Niamh.]

I wonder how they'll write her out?

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

bye ******

[joeysteele]

She is a good character but has been out of it so long recently anyway,had she not come back and just left now it would have been hardly noticed.
Hope they don't kill her character off though.

[AnnieK]

I almost hope they do kill her off - would hate for her and Roy to get divorced, it would be nice for a marriage to last the test of time....

She hasn't had a decent story line for ages though so can't blame Julie for wanting to try new things

[Kazanne]

Her character has been good,but she HAS been very quiet of late,so it's the best time for her to go,good actress,I'm sure she we will see her on our screens again soon.

[bbfan1991]

Well Hayley has not had a storyline in ages and I don't blame Julie for wanting to try other things, good luck to her but I will miss the character.

[Jack_]

Please have Roy kill her. Or at least attempt to. Or maybe as an accident whilst they're experimenting after reading 50 Shades.

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Please have Roy kill her. Or at least attempt to. Or maybe as an accident whilst they're experimenting after reading 50 Shades.

.....but no

[Scarlett.]

Noooooooooooooo

I hope she doesn't leave Roy

[Suze]

Originally Posted by anniek76

I almost hope they do kill her off - would hate for her and Roy to get divorced, it would be nice for a marriage to last the test of time....

She hasn't had a decent story line for ages though so can't blame Julie for wanting to try new things

I kind of agree, as long as they don't have her murdered in the soap, as I doubt they would or would want to write David Neilson (Roy) out as well, so maybe it would be better if she met with an accident or had a short illness or something.

[reece(:]

I think the last time she was involed in a big storyline was the Tony Gordon hostage storyline as well, which was years ago

[MTVN]

She was sort of involved in a story where Mary became obsessed with Roy for a few weeks, can't remember how long ago that was or what she's done since then though

[Black Dagger]

I think the last big storyline of her's I remember is when her son turned up and punched her in the face.

[AnnieK]

I've got a feeling that as all the soaps eventually do the same story lines we may see Hayley become ill or something and ask Roy to help her die. I think the pair of them would act it well. May be well off here but as EE and Emmerdale have done this story line Corrie could decide its their turn to try the assisted suicide story.

[Scarlett.]

Hayley became sort of a part time character after she initially left for a year to go to Africa. Since then she's been on and off, so I think the producers avoided giving her big storylines in case she needed to leave.

[Scarlett.]

Tonight's episode was heartbreaking

[Smithy]

and the bloody royal baby in the middle of it too how insensitive

[Kizzy]

It's a real shame she's good actress and haley and roy are two of my faves. Sick of the fecking platts.... stopped watching as am so bored of the focus on them constantly.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I wonder how they'll write her out?

she has a cancer story coming up,so maybe that

[Scarlett.]

She was diagnosed with cancer tonight ^

[Smithy]

kaz that post was from january

[Tozzie]

I'm gutted to hear Julie is leaving Corrie, I for one will most definately miss her, I think she's been a lovely character, wish I knew her (Hayley) in real life. I feel quite sad about the fact that her character is dying and I think when she 'dies' its going to be a very emotional scene indeed. What will Roy do without Hayley :-(