CORONATION STREET star Shobna Gulati said she is not bitter about being axed from the show.
Shobna and co-star Vicky Entwistle, who play Sunita Alahan and Janice Battersby, will be written out in the New Year.
Recent newcomer to the cast Nailah Cumberbatch, who plays factory worker twin Jessie, is also being chopped as part of a cast clearout.
Following the revelations Shobna said that there was no bitterness about her departure from the soap. She is set to film her final scenes in February.
"Coronation Street have behaved brilliantly," she said.
"I've had a really good time and I'm happy that Sunita gets a big storyline. She won't fizzle away. It will be an emotional, rocky, rollercoaster ride. It will challenge people."
The in-demand actress has continued to work on stage during breaks from the Street and been involved in other projects, but has had to turn down a number of job offers because of the demands of her Weatherfield role.
But viewers, will be shocked by the decision to end the contracts of two of the street's most famous faces.
Loudmouth Janice arrived with the rest of the Battersby family in 1997, who caused mayhem when they moved into No 5. Since splitting up with husband Les, she has shared a flat with daughter Leanne and continued working in Underworld.
Oldham-born Shobna has been a viewers' favourite since joining the cast in 2001 as a shop girl on the run from an arranged marriage.
After marrying corner shop businessman Dev (Jimmi Harkishin), the couple survived a murder attempt by deranged lawyer Maya and Sunita is now pregnant with twins.
Both stars were called in to see Coronation Street producer Tony Wood and told of the decision. Their exit storylines have still to be finalised.
Nailah arrived on screen last year along with "twin" Joanne (Zaraah Abrahams), who is staying. They have been involved in several comedy storylines.
The future of a number of characters was reviewed at a regular Coronation Street meeting last week attended by scriptwriters and production staff, amid concerns that the 60-strong cast is now too big.
The outlook for all Street characters is discussed at such meetings, as part of the normal process of planning future storylines and running the soap. It was not linked to the appointment of new producer Steve Frost, who doesn't start his job until January.