Four Coronation Street stars have today been tipped to leave the soap at the end of their current contracts.
Holly Quin-Ankrah, Will Thorp and Finton Flynn - who play Gray trio Cheryl, Chris and Russ - are among the cast members bowing out and they will all finish filming with the Weatherfield drama towards the end of the year, according to reports in The People and the News of the World today.
Meanwhile, Sacha Parkinson - better known as Sophie Webster's girlfriend Sian Powers - will reportedly depart the cobbles in early 2012.
The decision to write out all four characters was apparently confirmed at a recent Corrie storyline conference, where upcoming plot developments were mapped out by the soap's team.
In a forthcoming twist, estranged couple Cheryl and Chris are expected to reunite and leave the Street with son Russ, causing heartbreak for their new partners Lloyd Mullaney and Maria Connor.
Sian has also been tipped for heartache before her departure as The People claims that Sophie is to embark on a new relationship with Dev Alahan's daughter Amber, who is returning to the programme.
In the story, Amber is expected to return home from university and it soon becomes clear that she has been questioning her sexuality.
Craig Charles, who plays Lloyd, will also disappear from Corrie later this year, but only on a temporary basis as bosses have granted him three months off to film new episodes of Red Dwarf. His Weatherfield commitments will continue as usual once he has reprised his role as Dave Lister for the project.