Lesley Dunlop to leave Emmerdale

Emmerdale star Lesley Dunlop is reportedly set to leave the soap.

A tabloid reports that the actress is leaving her role as Brenda Walker after 16 years, but her departure has not been officially confirmed by ITV.

A source told The Mirror: 

“There have been so many exits recently and the talk is of more. 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.”

A number of cast members are said to be “extremely anxious” about potentially being written out of the saga. Sources say that ITV executives are looking to trim the cast by about 10%. Right now, there are 60 regular actors on the show.

Brenda made her debut in 2008 as the adoptive mother of Gennie Walker, who had come to the village to connect with her biological father, Shadrach Dingle. Brenda soon made Emmerdale her home as well. After taking a job in the café she clashed with Bob a lot over her ideas to modernise. Soon anger turned to passion and the pair got together with Brenda becoming a mother figure to Bob’s kids Cathy and Hope.

Brenda faced a tough battle with a brain tumour, wrestling with the decision to have surgery before ultimately going through with it. She later broke up with Bob after he had an affair with Laurel and is currently a relationship with Eric Pollard, played by Dunlop’s real-life husband, Chris Chittell.

Dunlop has had a long career in TV with previous credits including Doctor Who, Where the Heart Is and May to December.