Coronation Street star Claire Sweeney has quit the soap. The actor first joined the ITV show three years ago in the role of Cassie Plummer.
However, it has now been confirmed that she has decided to depart, with her final scenes set to air in the summer.
It comes as Claire lands a role in the UK and Ireland touring production of Annie, where she will play the iconic part of Miss Hannigan.
“We wish Claire every success playing Miss Hannigan and congratulate her on being offered a role she has long wanted to play,” a Coronation Street spokesperson said.
“Cassie will be on the cobbles until the summer during which time she will continue to make her presence felt in Weatherfield leading up to a great exit storyline.”
ITV
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Digital Spy understands that the actor informed show bosses of her intention to depart a few months ago after bagging the Annie role, which has been a long-held ambition.
Speaking last July, Claire confirmed at the time that she had signed another year’s contract on the soap, which should take her up to the end of her run this summer.
“To be there for another year, I felt honoured and absolutely thrilled. I just love the job and I’ve been very lucky with my storylines as well,” she revealed to Woman’s Weekly.
“From going in as the druggie, doing heavy, dramatic stuff with Maureen Lipman, then doing nice light comedy stuff with Simon Gregson and catty stuff with Kate Ford. It’s great, brilliantly written stuff.”
ITV
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She also explained the importance of Coronation Street in her life, adding: “I’ve done brilliant things in my life and in my career, and I’m grateful and thankful. But when I got into Corrie at the age of 52, it was a lovely, lovely surprise and a real turning point for me.
“When I was younger, I wouldn’t think, ‘This is fabulous.’ It would be, ‘What’s next?’ But with Corrie, I’m so appreciating it and I’m staying in the moment.”
Claire’s run in Annie will begin on 7 July at Cardiff’s Wales Millenium Centre, subsequently hitting stops such as Blackpool, Newcastle, Dublin, Bristol, Nottingham, Belfast, Oxford, Glasgow and Leicester. She takes over the role of Miss Hannigan from Strictly Come Dancing’s La Voix.
Coronation Street airs on weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
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