Strictly Come Dancing's Alexandra Mardell's surprising career move swapping Corrie for Aldi

Alexandra Mardell, 31, quit Coronation Street in 2022 and took up a job at an Aldi supermarket after saying it was 'the right time' to put her character Emma Brooker behind her

Strictly Come Dancing winner Alexandra Mardell announced a surprising career move, stepping away from acting and landing a new job at Aldi.

The 31-year-old actress, known for portraying the role of Emma Brooker in Coronation Street, decided to wave goodbye to life on the big screen and change career. Alexandra quit the soap in 2022 and took up a job at an Aldi supermarket.

In February 2022, she said in a social media post that it was "the right time" to put Emma behind her and look for new opportunities. Her character was best known for wearing lots of pink and she had a troublesome romance with Curtis Delamere.

Posting on her official Instagram account, Alexandra said in a now deleted video: "I am... Sausage Casserole! Never felt so connected to a role!" This refers to her taking part in Aldi's new advert as a speaking sausage.

The video showed a family tucking into a meal with a narrator saying it cost just £2.69 for everyone, the Express reported. Alex then appeared on the screen as the sausage and gasped: "Just £2.69?" Many of her followers and co-stars rushed to the comments section to voice their approval. Jenny Connor star Sally Ann Matthews typed: "Oh my God. That's totally being assigned as your ring tone. Love it! X."

Georgia Taylor, who plays Toyah Habeeb, added a comment saying: "Absolute banger." Alexandra appeared on the Christmas special of Strictly Come Dancing in December 2022. Paired with Kai, the duo ended up being crowned champions after nailing a quickstep to Sleigh Ride by the Ronettes.

When Alex left Corrie, she posted an emotional post saying: "And that's a wrap on the best street there is! And of course I ugly cried as soon as the scene completed. So overwhelmed by all the love. The Corrie family are just insane.

"To every person in that building, every viewer, family member and friend, I love you all and can't thank you enough! I've said it countless times before but I'll say it again, it's been the best time of my life. But for now it's goodbye to the cobbles from me and Emma Brooker." Since leaving the ITV soap, she worked at the supermarket before landing a role on the BBC comedy series Smoggie Queens. The show is set to air this autumn.

Last year, Alexandra married actor Joe Parker in a stunning ceremony, two years after getting engaged. The pair said "I do" on March 19, 2023, at The Tithe Barn in Bolton Abbey, in Skipton, North Yorkshire. Alexandra and Joe exchanged vows in front of 90 guests including Alexandra's Corrie pals Sair Khan and Charlotte Jordan, who play Alya and Daisy on the ITV soap.

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