EastEnders star Lacey Turner is set to leave Albert Square later this year.

In an interview with The Sun, the Stacey Slater actor confirmed her upcoming exit and the reason behind her decision.

“It’s time for myself and Stacey to take a rest and who knows what Stacey will get up to in her time away? Knowing Stacey, it will never be boring,” said Turner.

A spokesperson for the BBC One soap promised audiences more Stacey drama before her screen exit and confirmed that the door will always be left open for a return.

“We can confirm that Lacey will be off-screen later this year, but there is plenty of more drama to come beforehand and we will look forward to planning Stacey’s return when Lacey decides the time is right,” they said in a statement.

According to The Sun, Turner is leaving the soap to focus on her family and new work opportunities.

The actor recently welcomed a baby girl, called Gipsy Olive, with husband Matt Kay in January of this year and is already mum to 5-year-old daughter Dusty and 3-year-old son Trilby.

Turner returned to work weeks after giving birth to film emotional scenes for the soap’s 40th anniversary.

In a special live episode to mark the occasion, Stacey said a heartbreaking goodbye to her partner and father of her kids, Martin Fowler, who died from health complications after the collapse of The Vic.

Many fans found the storyline especially sad for her character, with Stacey having lost her previous husband Bradley Branning in the live episode to commemorate the soap’s 25th anniversary in 2010.

Turner has been a fan-favourite on the soap for over 21 years, first appearing on EastEnders in 2004. She left in 2010, returning four years later in 2014, and has also taken additional breaks from the show to welcome her children.