Hollyoaks star Iz Hesketh has seemingly confirmed that she is leaving the show after less than a year.
The actress, 26, first appeared in the Channel 4 soap as Kitty Draper – or at least a someone pretending to be her – in January of this year.
During the spectacular stunt week, we saw the real McCoy die in a horrific car accident, with her identity assumed by her friend Ivy Shaw. The two met in a refuge after the real Kitty was abused by her ex-boyfriend Abe Fielding (Tyler Conti).
The new Kitty then settled into village life, bagging herself a job and home at The Dog in the Pond and falling for new housemate Beau Ramsey (Jon-Paul Bell).
When her warped, conversion-therapist dad Declan Hawthorn (Alan Turkington) arrived in Chester, he kidnapped and held her captive in her childhood bedroom and upon being rescued by Beau, Declan was killed.
The pair then buried him in Hunter McQueen’s (Theo Graham) grave, and in recent weeks the body has been found. Beau was sent down for the murder, whilst Kitty continues to evade justice.
However, in a further soapy twist, she then realised that Abe was now in a relationship with friend Cleo McQueen (Nadine Mulkerrin), and after attempting to expose his true colours, he threatened to report her identity theft to the police.
It seems that in the coming weeks he could be responsible for her downfall, as a cryptic Instagram story from Iz has confirmed her exit from the show.
Taking to social media yesterday, she wrote: ‘London friends. I’m back as of tomorrow till just before I go for surgery early October.’
‘So if anyone wants to catch up or do anything, I’m very much unemployed and free for the foreseeable so hit me up.’
She concluded: ‘Equally, if anyone needs someone for any gigs, in or out of drag, I am ready and available.’
This would make her the latest in a long-line of Hollyoaks cast who are leaving ahead of a UK soap-first time jump next month, which will see the drama skyrocket one year into the future.
The idea has been devised as a way to herald the serial into a new era, with shorter, 20 minute instalments – and a reduction of episodes from five, to three per week.
A number of cast have already departed, including Scott Drinkwell (Ross Adams), Hannah Ashworth (Emma Rigby), Norma Crow (Glynis Barber), Robbie Roscoe (Charlie Wernham), Mason Chen-Williams (Frank Kauer), Lizzie Chen-Williams (Lily Best) and Sharon Bailey (Jamelia Davis).
Long-running Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) and Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring), alongside fan-favourite Ethan Williams (Matthew James Bailey) are also set to make an exit.
With a huge stunt planned for early September, it’s expected that some familiar faces will leave amongst the action, whilst others will be written-out off screen, with them explained to have ‘moved away from the village’ during the time jump.
