Gillian Taylforth is leaving ‘Hollyoaks’.
The former ‘EastEnders’ actress is quitting her role as mother-of-six Sandy Roscoe after just a year in order to spend more time with her family.
Sandy will be written out of the soap in the summer, but producers have vowed not to kill off the character and are leaving the door open for Gillian to return for future storylines.
In a statement released to Digital Spy, Gillian said: "I have loved the role of Sandy Roscoe playing mum to six gorgeous boys, all of whom I will miss desperately, but the time is right for me to spend more time with my own family.
"It has been enormous fun and hugely rewarding to be part of settling in a new ‘Hollyoaks’ family and it fills me with pride that they have so quickly been taken to viewers’ hearts.
"I am really happy that I will still be able to pop back to check on the Roscoe boys but it’s now time for them to fend for themselves!"
Gillian was cast in the role of Sandy in early 2013 and has been part of numerous explosive storylines, including the revelation Sandy is soap stalwart Darren Osbourne’s (Ashley Taylor-Dawson) biological mother.
The actress famously played Kathy Beale in ‘EastEnders’ between 1985 and 2000.
Gillian Taylforth quits Hollyoaks
