Coronation Street star secretly 'quits' soap after being missing on screen for over a year

In recent months, it was then said Aggie had to leave Weatherfield to care for a sick relative in Birmingham where she has been residing ever since.

Fans theorised that Aggie's absence from her home town may be long-term after her husband Ed Bailey's (Trevor Michael Georges) gambling addiction relapsed and found himself in deep financial trouble once again.

His children Michael Bailey (Ryan Russell) and Dee-Dee Bailye (Shannique Sterling-Brown) encouraged their father to come clean to Aggie whilst he visited her in Birmingham - but on his return, he revealed she had asked for a divorce.

According to The Sun, a source claimed that Laidlaw has officially left the soap and has no plans to return.

It was also reported that Laidlaw landed her first role since leaving the Cobbles, as she joined the cast of Channel 5 drama The Good Ship Murder.

GB News has contacted ITV for a comment.

Her departure from the soap will put an end to speculation that she will return to Weatherfield for her daughter's upcoming wedding to secret killer Joel Deering (Callum Lill).

Whilst her on-screen family's life is strained, Laidlaw's new role in the murder mystery series will see her star alongside some of her former Corrie stars, including, Catherine Tyldesley and Shayne Ward, as well as Claire Sweeney, who currently plays Cassie Plummer.

Speaking on her new role, a source for the production said - according to Digital Spy: "Lorna is a hugely talented actress and it’s a great gig to land. The show films in beautiful Malta and the cast and crew are a tight-knit group so it’s a really great atmosphere to work in."

Laidlaw isn't the only actress who has been missing from screens lately and more than likely not returning anytime soon, as Jenny Connor actress Sally-Ann Matthews left fans questioning whether she had been axed.

Speaking to her fans during a late-night Instagram live, Matthews revealed she hasn’t filmed on the cobbles for a long time - and that fans shouldn’t expect to see her for a long time.

She said: "I chose to get on an aeroplane because I’m particularly quiet at work. I’ve got like a million years off, so I chose to go on an aeroplane and I chose to remember happier times."

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The ITV star added that she had been to Cyprus twice in the past five weeks and added that she was planning to go away again this weekend: "And then I’m going to go back to Cyprus, and do nowt.

"And at some point, I might get a job and someone might employ me, potentially."

During the live, Matthews was asked by concerned fans if she meant she had been axed by new boss Kate Brooks, leaving the soap star to make an awkward sound.

Reading a question submitted by a fan, she added: "Have you left the street? Hmm. Hang on, next question. You’re not going to be seeing Jenny for quite a long while. So that’s that."