Emmerdale's Jane Cox reveals why she’s quitting after 23 years as Lisa Dingle

22 May 2019, 11:51 | Updated: 23 May 2019, 08:12

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

Lisa's character will be killed off after she revealed a terminal heart condition.

Emmerdale star Jane Cox announced in March that she’ll be leaving the ITV soap after 23-years.

The actress’ character Lisa Dingle is currently battling a terminal heart condition, and on Thursday she’ll marry Zak for a second time in a heartbreaking episode.

But now 67-year-old Jane has revealed why she decided to bow out of Emmerdale for good, admitting that the gruelling schedule just became too much for her.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, she said: “It is long, long days and then you don’t have time in the evening because you have lines to learn for the next day.

“I decided that this is going to be my time to do things I didn’t have time to do. I still feel about 20-odd, but in 20 years I will be 87, and there are other things in life that I want to explore.”

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Jane joined the soap back in 1996, and over the last 10 years she’s also studied for an art history degree and tried her hand at writing a book.

Admitting she’s become too comfortable in her role, the star added: “I know if I hadn’t have left now I never would. Life is such an exciting thing, you never know what is around the corner. It was a big decision but I know it is the right thing.”

A family tragedy also prompted Jane to make the decision to leave, as she added: “My mum died a couple of years ago, so it does make you think a lot about the big things in life.

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"As you get older life feels shorter – although of course I am going to live to 150!”

Emmerdale fans were devastated earlier this year when Lisa revealed she was dying of a terminal heart condition.

In the emotional scenes poignantly aired on International Women’s Day, Lisa visited her niece Charity Dingle in Scotland to confide in her.

Confessing she’s set for an emotional few weeks as her last scenes air, Jane added: “It is just starting to sink in now.

“I will miss my Dingle family but we are friends for life.”