Jennifer Metcalfe

Jennifer Metcalfe

Jennifer Metcalfe has announced she is leaving 'Hollyoaks'.

The 30-year-old actress stars as maneater Mercedes McQueen in the Channel 4 soap but has revealed she and her character are planning to take a break, and hasn't confirmed whether or not they will be returning.

Writing on her Twitter page, she said: "Mercedes is leaving the village, she needs to give her high heels a rest - my feet are knackered."

Suggesting some fans had already heard about her imminent departure, she added: "Read all your lovely messages ... Lookin' forward to welcoming the new mcqeens (their ace) lots of love and keep watching (sic)."

News of Jennifer's departure comes after the announcement that two of her on-screen family members - Myra McQueen (Nicole Barber-Lane) and Theresa McQueen (Jorgie Porter) - are set to return to the soap later this year.

Myra is expected to return on a full-time basis after being forced to fake her own death following a feud with the villainous Dr. Browning, while Theresa is also set to make her first reappearance in the coming months, after Jorgie quit the soap last year.

Meanwhile, Gemma Merna - who plays Jennifer's on-screen sister Carmel Valentine - revealed on the weekend that she too would be leaving the soap.