Pauline Quirke: 'Emmerdale door left open for Hazel'

Pauline Quirke has revealed that she would be interested in returning to Emmerdale at some point in the future.

Earlier in the summer, the actress announced that she will be leaving the soap at the end of the year before starting work on a stage version of classic sitcom Birds of a Feather in 2012.

The star's character Hazel Rhodes is currently at the centre of Emmerdale's highest-profile plot after helping her son Jackson Walsh to die in an assisted suicide storyline. Jackson's boyfriend Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller), who played the crucial role in his death, will face a murder trial in next week's episodes.

Speaking about her Emmerdale future in an interview with TV Times, Quirke explained: "Aaron and Hazel will always have this incredible bond, and hopefully that's something the writers will explore after I've left - I'm going at Christmas.

"I've been away from my own children while I've been in Leeds and Danny has been my lovely surrogate son. He's been a joy to be around. We'll be friends for life."

"I've had such a fantastic time at Emmerdale," she continued. "I couldn't have done this when my children were younger because I liked to be at home with them. Now they're grown-up, I was able to be in Leeds during the week and although I was a bit homesick, people like Danny made me feel like part of the team from day one."

She added: "They've very kindly left the door open for me. I'd love to come back. I love it at Emmerdale and I will be sad to go. There will be a lot of tears."

Aaron's Emmerdale trial plays out on screen all next week.

Read more about the Emmerdale trial:-
> Emmerdale boss teases Aaron's future, confirms trial
> Emmerdale Danny Miller talks Aaron, court, awards
> Emmerdale confirms Aaron Livesy trial guest stars
> Pauline Quirke: 'Hazel will be devastated if Aaron is found guilty'
> Full spoilers for next week's Emmerdale episodes

Re-live the moment that Jackson was hit by a train in the video below: