Linda Thorson to leave 'Emmerdale'

Emmerdale actress Linda Thorson is to bow out of the ITV soap later this year after 17 months with the show.

The 60-year-old - who plays scheming Rosemary King in the Yorkshire-based soap - will leave the Dales at the culmination of her current storyline which sees her character attempting to make daughter-in-law Perdy Hyde-Sinclair (Georgia Slowe) believe she's mentally unstable in a bid to force her out of her son Grayson's (Christopher Villiers) life.

Speaking of the departure, Series Producer Kathleen Beedles said: “The character of Rosemary has been integral to storylines over the past year but will be leaving the village next month as the storyline draws to a natural conclusion.”

Linda finishes filming this week and her final scenes are due to be broadcast at the end of September.