Soap actress Charley Webb this week officially confirmed she had quit Emmerdale after 19 years.
The 33-year-old star from Bury explained that she never felt the need to formally announce her exit, but chose to finally clear things up for fans.
Posting a photo of her family in response to a question during an Instagram Q&A asking if she'd left Emmerdale, Charley explained that she took time off from the ITV drama two years ago to have her child Ace, and then returned in 2020 to complete a storyline.
She added: "So, I guess officially it’s been a year. I never felt the need to announce it which is why we didn't."
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The mum-of-three portrayed the character of Debbie Dingle, which bagged her a nomination for Best Female Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards in 2014.
She joined the soap at the age of 15, whilst attending Philips High School in Whitefield, and was introduced as a foster child, before being revealed as the daughter of Charity and Cain.
Her character featured in many storylines centred around her relationships, including Andy Sugden, which led to her pregnancy at 15, her disaster relationship with Cameron Murray, along with an affair with Ross Barton.
She is married to co-star Matthew Wolfenden, 41, who is best known for his role as David Metcalfe.
Speaking about their relationship during lockdown to OK!, Charley said they don't do romantic gestures, describing their 15-year relationship as a 'partnership'.
She said: "We’ve been together 15 years and we’re a team and a partnership.
"If Matthew bought me something, I’d be like, 'What have you done?' We’re not the most romantic couple.
"In a lot of ways, I think that’s why it works, because we don’t put any pressure on our relationship."
The couple, who met on screen, welcomed their first baby boy Buster in 2010, when Charley was 22-years-old, he is now 11.
Five years later, they welcomed their second child together, Bowie, now five, and in 2018, the pair finally tied the knot, with co-star Lucy Pargeter as a bridesmaid.
They welcomed their third son in July 2019, named Ace, now two.
In her Instagram Q&A this New Year, Charley admitted also that their family could expand, revealing she is "really broody" after one fan asked if they were going to have any more children.
She continued: "I don't feel that way. I'm actually really broody at the moment but it's just not quite the right time."
As a doting mum, Charley shares regular snaps of her three boys and life with Matthew to Instagram, showing glimpses of their beautiful family home.
And it truly is a soap family affair, with the pair spending their downtime with their castmates, with Charley's former on-screen mum, Emma Atkins (Charity Dingle), living just 30 seconds away, Charley revealed on Instagram.
Meanwhile Christmas and New Year's Eve were spent with her former on-screen auntie Lucy Pargeter (Chastity Dingle) and on-screen dad Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle).
Charley, whose full name is Charlotte, also has a famous older brother, Jamie Lomas, who is an actor best known for playing Warren Fox in Hollyoaks.
Previously posting a throwback photo of her and Jamie to Instagram, she wrote: "It’s my big brother's birthday today. The most ridiculously over protective big brother there is. Literally drives me mad everyday but I do love him".
