Emmerdale’s Jane Cox, 67, quit as Lisa Dingle over soap’s punishing six days-a-week schedule

Emmerdale’s Jane Cox reveals the soap’s punishing six days a week schedule as Lisa Dingle led to her quitting the show after 23 years.

The actress, who turned 67 this month, said she had no time to “do other things in life” after devastated fans learned her legendary character is dying from a terminal heart condition.

In the past 10 years, the actress has studied for an art history degree, and tried to write two films and a book – but has not found the time for the latter two.

“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,” she tells the

“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.”

She has been on the soap since 1996 but reveals her ageing years gave her a nagging feeling that life has more to offer than a jam-packed filming schedule.

“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,” she says.

She called the role “completely life-changing”, but hinted her mum’s death also played a part in the decision.

“My mum died a couple of years ago, so it does make you think a lot about the big things in life.

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

Having said that, Jane, who is married with a grown-up daughter, feels privileged to have had the role of Lisa for so long.

The part was originally only supposed to last four episodes but show bosses were impressed how Jane brought the character to life.

In an heart-wrenching episode on Thursday, Lisa and Zak marry for a second time, knowing their marriage will be short-lived.

Lisa’s impending death means there is no going back to Emmerdale, but Jane believes the death storyline was the best decision by producers.

“It is just starting to sink in now,” she says.

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

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