Ross Adams has quit Hollyoaks after nine years.
Ross Adams is leaving Hollyoaks after nearly a decade onscreen
The actor spent nearly a decade playing Scott Drinkwell in the Channel 4 soap, but he's now opted to walk away from the show by turning down the chance to sign a new contract and he's called it "one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make".
Ross confirmed his departure in a post on Instagram, writing: "Ok … So I have some pretty big news that I want to share with you. After nearly a decade, I have made the decision to leave 'Hollyoaks'.
"It was always a dream of mine to act in a soap and playing Scott Drinkwell (and his alter-ego Anita Tinkle) made that dream a reality. It’s been a total joy and allowed me to do things I could never have dreamed of; from winning a British Soap Award, to writing an episode last year."
Ross - who joined 'Hollyoaks' in 2015 - went on to insist he made the decision because there are other projects he wants to work on in the future.
He added: "I love the show; the wonderful cast and one of the most dedicated crews in the business - all of whom are having a pretty rough time at the moment. So, deciding not to sign another contract was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.
"Sometimes though, you’ve just got to be brave - and now feels like the right time for me to try some other things that I’ve been super keen to do. I really hope you’ll all come with me for the ride! Big love, Ross x."
A source added to The Sun newspaper: "He has loved his time on the show but after almost a decade, he wants to take on some new challenges and different roles."
Ross is following in the footsteps of other castmembers including Jamie Lomas, Haiesha Mistry and Owen Warner who have all announced plans to leave.