24 February 2025
Nikki Sanderson is leaving 'Hollyoaks'.
Nikki Sanderson is set to leave Hollyoaks
The 40-year-old star has played the role of Maxine Minniver on the Channel 4 soap since 2012 but revealed to bosses that she wanted to step away at the end of her current contract.
Nikki will film her final scenes on the show next month as she pursues other parts away from the soap after 12 years in the series.
A source told The Sun newspaper's TVBiz column: "She met with bosses and told them of her plans to leave, she'd just turned 40 and felt the time was right to say goodbye to Maxine.
"She's keen to explore other opportunities and is excited to get back out there.
"Bosses have been plotting Maxine's exit storyline for months and have promised it will be a fitting tribute to the character, and viewers can expect a lot of drama before she goes."
The source added: "She will film her final scenes next month, which will go out on-screen in May."
Nikki's alter ego Maxine has featured in storylines about domestic abuse and mental illness during her time on the programme but she revealed that she was advised to ditch her dreams of acting and go into forensics when she was at school.
The former 'Coronation Street' star told Inside Soap magazine in 2021: "When I went to the careers office at school, my two options were an actress, or something in the forensics field, as I was really interested in that.
"I loved studying the human body."
Sanderson even revealed that she still has the pamphlets that were given to her by the careers officer who didn't think acting was a viable option.
She added: "And the careers officer said to me, 'Maybe you should stick to the forensics thing, because I can't see the acting working out for you!'
"I still have the pamphlets she gave me."
English (US) ·