Coronation Street star Shelley King has said she is ‘sad’ to be leaving her role as Yasmeen Metcalfe after 10 years.

Earlier this week, fans of the ITV soap saw Yasmeen pack up and leave for a new job in London.

After selling off her share in Speed Daal to Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), she shared an emotional farewell with granddaughter Alya Nazir (Sair Khan).

Following Yasmeen’s on-screen exit, Shelly broke silence on her departure for the first time in a video message on Coronation Street’s social channels.

She said: ‘Yasmeen has been my name for the last 10-and-a-half years in this glorious street – I’ve been so privileged to be living in number six.

‘I’ve had the most wonderful time. I’m very sad to be leaving. I just felt I’d have to try going back to the stage, trying to refresh Yasmeen. As you know, Yas and I are very close. She’s going to do other things.

‘She will not say “goodbye”. She will say, as the French say: “à bientôt”, which means “see you soon”. Somewhere, somehow.’

Shelley highlighted Yasmen’s domestic abuse storyline at the hands of husband Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew) as a ‘huge privilege’ to have played.

‘It was so well written and so well researched,’ she said. ‘And I’ve had so many letters from you, my audience, all of you, saying how much it helped you.

‘That’s the wonder of Coronation Street. And that’s why I’m proud to have been in it for this long, because there are so many issues that the street can inform and does so, and treats with great gentleness and purpose.’

Co-star Sydney Martin, who plays Betsy Swain on the soap, commented: ‘Love you Shelley’, while former Corrie star Alexandra Mardell, who played Emma Brooker, sent a series of heart emojis.

Following her low-key final scenes, many fans called the soap out, saying Yasmeen had deserved a better exit after a decade on the cobbles.

One wrote: ‘Her exit seemed rushed. Too low key. She’s been a massive part in some important storylines. Deserved better. Hope she does well in the future. Fantastic actress.’

Another said: ‘I think Yasmeen deserved a better exit than she was given. It all seemed so rushed! From first mention of the job in London to actually leaving in a taxi was spread over about two episodes!’