He may have only just returned from the ‘dead’, but it seems like Ross Barton could be about to leave ‘Emmerdale’ behind.
Actor Michael Parr has hinted he is ready to quit the ITV soap, and stop playing the village’s resident bad boy.
He dropped the bombshell during an interview with The Mirror, in which he discusses how much he will miss on-screen girlfriend Charley Webb (Debbie Dingle), when she goes on maternity leave.
Michael Parr plays Ross Barton
“It's really sad to see her go because I might not be here when she gets back,” he says.
Michael’s character appeared to have been killed off by his brother Pete back in the summer, when Pete discovered that Ross had been having an affair with his wife Debbie.
However, Ross was later found to be alive and well, and came back to the village to wreak revenge, but not before viewers had launched a petition for his return.
"It was so sweet when they fought to bring me back last time,” Michael said of the petition. "But I have to say for the record that those things don't make much of a difference to story lines - as flattering as they are."
Charley Webb (left) is soon going on maternity leave
Meanwhile, ‘Emmerdale’ had an especially dramatic few days over the festive season, most notably when Belle Dingle caught her father, Zak, red-handed, cheating on her mother.
It also saw Ross and Debbie sharing their first Christmas together, and featured a one-off guest appearance from ‘Coronation Street’ legend Liz Dawn.
In 2016, it’s all change over in Soapland, with current ‘Emmerdale’ executive producer Kate Oates making the jump to Weatherfield, where she’ll be the new boss over on ‘Corrie’.