EMMERDALE fans have speculated over which characters could be next to exit the Dales as the soap looks to cut down the cast.
The ITV soap is rumoured to be cutting the Emmerdale cast by 10%, and with three characters confirmed to exit soap fans have speculated over who else could join them.
The cast has 60 regular faces, so would need to axe six cast stars to meet the 10% mark and with three confirmed it means another three actors would also need to leave.
Already Amelia Spencer, played by Daisy Campbell, has been confirmed to be leaving the Dales and Brenda Walker, played by Lesley Dunlop, is saying goodbye after 16 years.
The third star is Roxy Shahidi leaving her role as Leyla Harding, with a dramatic end planned for the explosive character.
Fans have shared their theories over who could be next, as one wrote: “Tom will be leaving as well.”
However another fan expressed their frustration at key cast members leaving whilst others remained as they shared: “They’ve done this when Mack, Charles, Claudette and Jimmy are right there!”
After the news of Lesley leaving her role as Brenda, Emmerdale fans also shared their theories in an online forum as some thought this might be the end of Eric Pollard too.
One fan wrote: “I assume that it may be Eric’s exit storyline as well? Perhaps his Parkinson’s deteriorates, he passes away and so Brenda moves to Canada to be close to Nikhil and Molly?”
Another fan shared their view as they wrote: “With the tighter budgets soaps are being given these days they simply can’t afford to keep a bloated cast.
“Bringing back Ross, expanding Calebs family and another return potentially on the horizon probably meant some of the lesser used cast had to go.
“Balancing the books is becoming an important part of running a soap.”
Earlier this month a source told The Mirror: “There have been so many exits recently and the talk is of more. With people like Lesley and Roxy potentially in the mix, nobody feels safe.
“The show has grown a lot bigger in recent years but 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.”
The news of roles being cut is said to have caused concern for the Emmerdale crew, as an insider told the Daily Mail: “Many people who have been there a long time are totally reliant on their income staying as it is.
“It’s a very worrying time.”
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