Coronation Street actress to take break from show

Actress Alison King who plays Carla Connor in Coronation Street is to take a break from the soap for "creative reasons".

She has told producers that she wants "to try her hand at other projects" before returning to the dramas in Weatherfield.

Writers will now come up with an "enthralling exit" for the character who has been a regular in the ITV soap for nine years, according to a Coronation Street spokesman.

The mini-bus crash and her brother Rob's handover to the police after Tina McIntyre's murder are among the big stories in which King has recently appeared.

A spokesman for the show said: "Alison King has indicated to producers that she would like to take a sabbatical from the show for creative reasons at some point in 2016.

"Before Ali takes her break, Carla has much more drama to come. At the end of this month, she will be central to the explosive storyline which sees Victoria Court go up in flames.

"Ali's desire to take a break from the show gives the writers the opportunity to come up with a enthralling exit for the character."