RULA Lenska has quit Coronation Street after two years – as Claudia Colby split with Ken Barlow.
The actress has played hairdresser Claudia on and off since 2009 but returned full-time in 2018 and quickly moved in with Ken.
She bought Audrey’s Salon before moving in with Ken and convincing him to sell up on the cobbles and move to luxury retirement home Stillwaters.
However in tonight’s episode Ken’s discomfort at living away from the cobbles came to a head and he and Claudia called it a day.
And in real life so has actress Rula who will no longer appear full time in the soap.
A source told HOAR Online: “The door is definitely open for Rula to return and Claudia still has connections on the street.
“But for now Claudia’s life is on the veranda of Stillwaters and Ken belongs in his backstreet boozer.”
In tonight’s episode an emotional Claudia said goodbye to Ken as he packed his bags to move back to Coronation Street.
She told him: “You’re really going after all I’ve done for you and your family.”
A guilt-stricken Ken said: “I’ll reimburse you for the cost of Peter’s rehabilitation programme and I’ll make sure you’re not out of pocket for this place.”
But it was clear Claudia knew how much it meant to Ken and she had decided to let him go.
She joked: “Is there someone else? June the merry widow on the second floor? I don’t think she’s partially sighted at all.
“My next fella’s going to be a toy boy. I thought it was going to be you, I thought this was going to be our life.
“Well I suppose the writing has been on the wall for some time I just didn’t want to see it.
“Darling are you sure about this? Once you’re gone that’s it. There’s no changing your mind. Will you promise me one thing? Don’t leave me Deirdre’s peanut bowls.”
And with that he left and moved back to his house on the cobbles – much to his daughter Tracy’s horror.
* Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at 7.30pm on ITV
