Alison King has said she is leaving Coronation Street entirely, and not taking a sabbatical as previously reported.

The actress has played Carla Connor since 2006.

Alison King
Alison as Carla Connor (ITV)

Alison said that while the show’s producers have made it possible for her to return, she has decided to call it quits.

She told Radio Times: “It’s been put out there that I’m taking a sabbatical, but I’m not.”

She added: “They’ve very graciously left the doors open for me to come back if I want to. And I haven’t ruled that out. But this is a new chapter for me.”

In May 2015, ITV released a statement saying Alison was “taking a sabbatical for creative reasons”.

Alison king
Carla recently became engaged to Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) (ITV)

The 42-year-old said she only ever planned to be in the Weatherfield soap for four years initially.

During her time on the cobbles, Alison has been a key member of the Corrie cast.

Her character’s numerous trials and tribulations have included the breakdown of her first marriage to Paul Connor (played by Sean Gallagher),  her second to Tony Gordon (Gray O’Brien) and her third to Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne).

Carla was a victim of rape, she was held hostage and battled alcoholism, and later attempted suicide.

Alison King
Corrie’s Connor family (ITV/Joseph Scanlon/PA)

However, for many fans, the most memorable storyline was Carla’s torrid love triangle with brother-in-law Liam (played by Downton Abbey star Rob James-Collier) and his wife Maria (Samia Ghadie).

The doomed love affair ended brutally in 2008 when Carla’s jealous husband Tony hired someone to murder Liam.

Talking about her tenure, Alison said: “I’m now going into my 10th year. So all Daisy (her daughter) has ever known is me getting out of the house at 7.30 in the morning and getting back when she’s in bed.

“I’ve probably only ever done about 20 pick-ups or drop-offs in all the time she’s been at school, which is quite sad.”