Emma Rigby has become the latest star to quit Hollyoaks after the soap revealed they would be axing 20 cast members from the soap.
The actress, 34, who plays Hannah Ashworth in the Cheshire drama, joined the soap in 2005 when she was just 16-years-old.
The star featured in a number of huge storylines including her battle with an eating disorder and her tumultuous relationship with John Paul McQueen (James Sutton).
After leaving the soap in 2010, she only recently returned last November, however The Sun has revealed Emma has now made the decision to resign after recent changes due to budget cuts.
A source told the publication: ‘It just wasn’t working out for Emma. She agreed a long-term return with certain expectations but that all changed.
Hollyoaks star Emma Rigby has quit the soap less than a year since her hotly-anticipated return last November as she becomes the latest star to leave the show
After leaving the soap in 2010, she only recently returned last November, however Emma has made the decision to resign after recent changes due to budget cuts, The Sun has revealed (pictured on the soap in 2024)
‘She’s a professional through and through but the changes were too much so she decided to walk away.’
Emma originally returned last year for a short stint, but in March she came back once again as a permanent fixture.
Bosses are believed to have agreed to end her contract early and write her out with a new exit storyline.
The soap is set to undergo a number of dramatic changes due to budget cuts, as it’s reported they are planning to reduce their workforce by 40 per cent.
The episode order was slashed from five nights a week, to just three 20 minute episodes per week amid a mass cull of the cast and crew.
And an insider revealed those at Hollyoaks are worried Hannah’s exit will see other high profile cast members leave.
They explained: ‘While they’re all very supportive of the soap, the reduced budget and seeing friends and colleagues leave after so many years takes its toll.’
MailOnline has contacted Emma’s representatives and Hollyoaks for comment.
Earlier this month Glynis Barber confirmed on Instagram that she too would be leaving the soap.
The star featured in a number of huge storylines including her battle with an eating disorder and her tumultuous relationship with John Paul McQueen (James Sutton, pictured)
Bosses are believed to have agreed to end her contract early and write her out with a new exit storyline (pictured in 2009)
The actress, 34, who plays Hannah Ashworth in the Cheshire drama, joined the soap in 2005 when she was just 16-years-old
The actress, 68, has played Norma ‘The Undertaker’ Crow, mother of Katy and Warren Fox, since 2022.
Jamie Lomas (Warren) is also a victim of the widely criticised cull, despite having appeared in the show since 2006.
Meanwhile Stephanie Waring broke down in tears as she, too, prepares to say goodbye to the soap after a whopping 28 years.
In April, Stephanie revealed she was left ‘distraught’ after finding out her character Cindy Cunnigham had been axed from the soap.
Stephanie is the only original character to be included in the cull of 20 cast members – she joined the soap just a year after it first aired.
Speaking about being dropped from the show in an interview with The Sun, Steph confessed she was in utter disbelief over the news and confessed: ‘I did expect more loyalty after almost three decades.’
The star also admitted that while she had a ‘gut feeling’ she was going to be axed, she had also just signed a year-long contract which she thought would save her from the recent cuts.
She said: ‘In the meeting they read from a script and a tear fell from my eye because I could just feel it in the room.
‘They got to the end and said ‘And with that, we will be losing Cindy from the show’. I just kept saying: ‘I don’t understand.’ I was very distraught, I didn’t take it well – I was probably the most dramatic person they told.’
Also leaving are Scott Drinkwell, Ross Adams, and Jonas Khan.
Earlier this month Glynis Barber confirmed on Instagram that she too would be leaving the soap. The actress has played Norma ‘The Undertaker’ Crow, mother of Katy and Warren Fox, since 2022
Stephanie Waring revealed in April she was left ‘distraught’ after finding out her character Cindy Cunnigham (pictured) had been axed from the soap
According to The Sunday Mirror, bosses will also reduce episode quantity in an effort ‘maximise impact’ as they could ‘no longer justify’ the huge and cast and crew.
The episode reduction will begin in September, and sources claim cast and crew are ‘heartbroken’ by the cuts.
Channel 4 announced that from September episodes would be cut from five to three, resulting in a loss of 135 jobs.
A source said: ‘Hollyoaks has been hit very hard lately and like many other soaps, it is losing viewers on a large scale.
‘The bosses will do everything they can to look after people and are putting together generous redundancy packages, but losing people who have been on the soap for years is a body blow.’
The Sun reported that script writers have come up with a bizarre plan to ‘time jump’ the programme by a year, which will fast-forward 20 characters out of the soap permanently.
A source told the publication: ‘Losing 20 cast members in one fell swoop is eye-watering and devastating news for soap land.
‘In the past, Hollyoaks has seen shock stunts claim up to five lives in a single episode. But the days of soaps having a big cast clear-out with a devastating stunt are long gone, especially on Hollyoaks where the budget has been dramatically cut.
‘The time jump is a way for Hollyoaks to say goodbye to the characters that need to go and give closure to the fans – but it will be controversial.’
Hollyoaks has axed twenty cast members, but not all have been revealed. They will also be reducing their episodes from five a week to three, resulting in 135 people losing their jobs
