Soap legend's 'shock exit after 16 years' sparks fears of 'mass cull' of cast
Lesley Dunlop, who plays Brenda Walker on hit soap Emmerdale, is believed to be leaving the show after 16 years.
However, the TV legend's reported shocking departure isn't the only one as fellow favourite Roxy Shahidi, 41, who plays Leyla Harding, is saying goodbye.
With multiple characters set to be leaving, it has reportedly sent waves of concern through the cast, with many fearing for their future on the ITV soap.
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OK! has contacted ITV for comment.
Behind the scenes, the buzz is all about the latest high-profile exit, which hasn't been officially announced yet, and speculation is rife about who might be next to go. Married to fellow Emmerdale star Chris Chittell, aka Eric Pollard, Lesley's character has been at the heart of some gripping storylines, including her battle with a brain tumour.
A source told the Mirror: "There have been so many exits recently and the talk is of more. With people like Lesley and Roxy potentially in the mix, nobody feels safe."
They added: "The show has grown a lot bigger in recent years but soaps are expensive to make. It's inevitable saving money means losing people – but it's a huge shame all the same for those involved, their friends and colleagues."
With the rumour mill suggesting that ITV bosses are looking to trim the cast by about 10%, anxiety is no doubt running high among the actors, especially long-timers who depend on their steady income from the show.
One concerned cast member reportedly said: "Many people who have been there a long time are totally reliant on their income staying as it is. It's a very worrying time."
Currently, Emmerdale boasts 60 regular actors, but this number could soon dwindle if the proposed cuts take effect.
Roxy's departure was announced just a few weeks ago, following two lengthy stints as Leyla, whose most notable storyline involved being targeted by a stalker and kidnapped in dramatic scenes. Emmerdale currently draws around four million viewers per episode, with more watching on catch-up.
The show's largest audience was in 1993, when 18 million viewers tuned in to see a plane crash into the Yorkshire village. This week, Emmerdale bosses revealed plans for a special episode focusing on Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper), her husband Tom King (James Chase), and their ongoing domestic abuse storyline.
Producer Laura Shaw stated: "When we first embarked on this journey, we knew we wanted to show domestic abuse, coercive control and manipulation in all its guises."
"The privilege we have on a drama such as Emmerdale is being able to show the reality of a situation like Belle's over a longer period of time to authentically reflect what so many people go through on a daily basis."
