'Oaks star Rigby excited over "new start"

Hollyoaks star Emma Rigby has admitted that she is "looking forward" to new challenges following her decision to leave the soap.

The 20-year-old actress will film her final scenes as Hannah Ashworth in December following a four-year stint on the Channel 4 programme.

Rigby has recently been busy working on the show's Hollyoaks Later spinoff, which sees Hannah facing a frightening ordeal at a music festival.

In an interview with DS, she revealed: "I'm supposed to have a meeting this week to find out my leaving storyline. It's going to be quite exciting, I'm not sure what's in store for me.

"I arrive back into the village after a late night episode and it's almost as if it's never happened. The late episodes are completely separate - well, not separate but never mentioned. I think there's one line where someone says, 'How was the week?' and I just go, 'Wrong time, wrong place, wrong everything.' Enough said!"

Discussing her future projects, she continued: "I've not had any auditions as yet but I'd love to do something in the West End. That's what I'd like to do. Also some drama, some film - just get as much experience as possible.

"I've been doing the show for four years, since I was 15, and [it] has effectively been my training. I feel like the time's right to leave and I'm really excited, although I will be sad to go. I'll miss everybody. I'm looking forward to the New Year, though - new year, new start."

Hollyoaks Later begins at 9pm tonight on E4.

> Click here to read our interview with Emma Rigby
> Click here to read more from Emma Rigby in Soap Scoop