Stephanie Waring has lost her "best friends" on the ‘Hollyoaks’ set.
The 40-year-old soap star – who first appeared as Cindy Cunningham back in 1996 – admitted she is finding it tough coping without working with her real-life pals Amanda Clapham and David Kennedy, who played her character’s daughter and husband respectively.
Amanda’s alter ego Holly – Cindy’s daughter – recently drove off into the sunset while David’s character Dirk Savage tragically died, and it’s made a difference during filming.
Stephanie told Inside Soap: "I was very close to Amanda Clapham and David, they were my best friends. It is hard sometimes not having them here – there are two holes in ‘Hollyoaks.’ "
The actress first played Cindy for five years until 2001, before making brief returns in 2002 and 2004 and eventually making a full time return a decade ago.
Her character has been through a lot over the years, but Stephanie has suggested that could be more to come with plenty of "life in the old dog yet".
She added: "She’s done so much already. She’s been married six times she has children, she’s killed someone and she has bipolar… I’d like to think [her next steps] would be something that challenged me."
Despite the soap seeing a lot of change recently Stephanie, 40, heaped praise on co-star Stephanie Davis, 25, ahead of her return as Sinead O’Connor last month.
She recently said: "Do you know what, she has really grown up a lot and she has really taken control of everything in her life and everything that has happened with people.
"She is a really truly wonderful human being and I couldn’t be happier to have her back on the show."
Stephanie Waring is missing her ‘best friends’ on Hollyoaks
