Former Emmerdale star Fiona Wade revealed she still has a soft spot for her soap family following her Dales exit.
The actress, who played Priya Kotecha in the ITV soap, is joining the cast of 2.22 A Ghost Story for the upcoming UK tour.
Addressing her upcoming stage debut, the 44-year-old said: ‘I’ve definitely challenged myself [by taking on this role]’
She added to Liverpool Echo: ‘Emmerdale was wonderful, but very different. I was there for more than ten years, some of the cast are like my family and I do miss them.’
The production, which opened on the West End in 2021, has received acclaim, with a number of huge stars having played key roles across various iterations.
Fiona will portray the role of Jenny, who has been previously played by EastEnders star Louisa Lytton, Jaime Winstone, Lily Allen and Cheryl.
Fiona previously told OK!: ‘I knew that my first job out of Emmerdale had to be the right one, and then this came up. It’s honestly been the best decision ever.
‘When you leave a soap, I think some people think you made the decision yesterday, but these decisions are taken over years. It was a scary decision but it was the right one.’
Previously Fiona shared a variety of pictures from her farewell party from Emmerdale after playing Priya for 10 years.
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Priya departed the Dales for a new life in London after being offered an exciting job.
It came after a distressing event at Take A Vow, when a small fire reminded Priya of the devastating incident in a maze fire that had left her permanently scarred.
The episode ended with an emotional scene that saw Priya and her daughter Amba bid their family farewell, before driving off to begin their new adventure.
Discussing her reasons for leaving, she said: ‘It’s been the most incredible 11 years playing Priya Sharma so saying goodbye to my Emmerdale family wasn’t easy.
‘I have loved playing Priya and I am so thankful to @emmerdale & @itv for the incredible opportunities that they have given me over so many years.
‘So many wonderful memories and such a gift of a job.’
