The actress has decided not to renew her contract and will apparently leave the soap in early 2012.

Parkinson has played Sian Powers since 2009 and established herself as a fan favourite alongside Brooke Vincent as Sophie Webster. Three other unrelated characters are also being written out at the same time. It has been speculated that Sian’s departure will tie in with a new relationship for Sophie, although this hasn’t been confirmed.

A Coronation Street source confirmed the departure, saying, “It’s all change at Corrie. We are always looking to mix things up to keep the show feeling fresh.” They added, “Sacha has decided to do something different, and we wish her the best. She has been so great in her role as Sian, in the soap’s first lesbian relationship.”

Coronation Street won the Broadcaster of the Year gong at the 2010 Stonewall Awards for the ongoing lesbian storyline.

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