Emmerdale airs Amelia Spencer’s final scenes on Friday (December 20) as she leaves the village for a fresh start in Leicester.

Amelia decides to move in with her biological father Daz, needing to make a clean break after her recent involvement in Tom King’s lies and manipulation.

Mark Jordon reprises his role as Daz for Amelia’s exit episode, helping her to make the move with her young daughter Esther.

Amelia’s news has a big impact on many of the villagers, as Kerry Wyatt struggles with her decision to leave.

Sam and Lydia Dingle are also hit hard by the realisation that they’ll now be two hours away from their beloved granddaughter Esther.

Daisy Campbell, who plays Amelia, announced in October that producers were writing her character out of the soap. She recently caught up with Digital Spy and other press for a chat about her departure.

How does it feel to be leaving the show?

“It’s mixed emotions, really. Amelia is a character that I’ve always played. This is my first ever job from being 7 years old, so it felt really sad, but then it was also nice to close the door and be at peace.

“It’s really upsetting because it’s all I’ve ever known, but there’ll be new things and maybe new parts next year. Who knows?”

How do the Dingles react to Amelia leaving with Esther?

“I think they take it quite well – especially Lydia, because she’s always been such a support system for Amelia. At first they’re a bit upset, because obviously they’ve always wanted to be part of Esther’s life and she’s always been a bit guarded, especially when she was with Noah.

“But I think they’re more relieved and happy that Amelia is moving on and she’s actually doing something for herself. I feel like my character has never done anything for herself, it’s always for other people.

“So this is the one time where she thinks: ‘You know what? I need this’. Obviously it’s a bit of a shock, but everyone’s quite understanding.”

Kerry struggles with Amelia’s decision, doesn’t she? It’s unclear whether she’ll turn up for Amelia’s send-off…

“Yes, Amelia built this amazing relationship with Kerry over the years. That was the same off screen because we’re so close in real life.

“We used to dress the same in the show. They started to make Amelia a bit like Kerry and then we lost that for a bit.

“Now I think it would put Amelia and Kerry at peace if they did have that nice ending. Obviously they butt heads a lot, but I think it’s just because the characters are really similar and Kerry is so protective over Amelia. But we’ll see what happens!”

How was it to play Amelia’s role in the Tom story and her being oblivious to his true nature for so long?

“It’s so annoying for the audience, I can imagine! I had a lot of comments from people saying: ‘Your character’s so annoying at the minute because she’s not seeing Tom for who he is’.

“But I think people forget that it’s a story we’re trying to tell and Tom was such a manipulator. He knew what he was doing. Obviously he’d done it to Belle, so he could do it to someone else. Amelia is also so much younger – she’s only 18, so she is very vulnerable.

“I had a lot of comments from people saying: ‘She’s frustrating me!’ But it frustrates me because then I’m like: ‘Oh no, this is the story. This is how it is. This is real life!’

“But it does frustrate me in some other areas, because I also think: ‘Oh, come on, Amelia, you’ve got a kid now, he’s older, come on. Get the cogs turning because you should know’. But she’s always been head over heels for boys a lot older than her – with Noah and Tom.”

How was it to work with James Chase (Tom) and Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle) on the story?

“So good. Me and Eden have grown up in the show together. She came in before I did so we’ve always been close, but never really worked together. So having this together was really cool.

“James is so good. Working with Jack [Downham, who plays Noah] and James is so different, because Noah’s character is much younger and not as pushy, whereas James has had to play this horrible character for a year and a half.

“I had to do some really, really intense scenes with James. Because Amelia was so in love with Tom, I had to put loads onto him. So that was out of my comfort zone but it’s all good stuff. It’s been a challenge, but it’s been really good.”

What have been your highlights?

“I’d always say the live episode in 2012, because we rehearsed it for months. Then going live, it was just so fun when you’re a kid – you just find it funny!

“Then 10 years after that, I did the 50^th anniversary episode and obviously that was Amelia’s pregnancy and birth story. It was like shooting a film because we had wind machines for the storm storyline. The buzz on set for those two weeks was amazing.”

“Just to carry on with my acting. I think from being here as a kid you don’t really take it seriously – I just fell into this. But when I turned 13, I decided that this was something I really wanted to do. Then since I found out I was leaving, my determination for acting is just so much bigger now. There’s so much I want to do.

“I think it’s a perfect age to leave the show. I’ve got no responsibilities, so I can do what I want. I’m really excited to just see what comes my way.

“I just need a challenge. I want to see what I’m like on another set. I don’t know what that’s like because this is all I’ve ever known. So it’ll be the year next year to really push myself, which I’m really looking forward to.”

Is there any sort of work you’d like to do?

“I really want to do Strictly. That’s one thing I really want to do next year, because I’m a dancer. I’ve always danced since I was 3, but I don’t know how to do the salsa or anything. I think that’d be cool to learn.

“I’m really open to doing anything. I’d love to do plays. I’d love to tour. I’d love to do new dramas, films, low budget stuff, literally anything. I just feel like the world’s my oyster. I’ve never known anything different than Emmerdale, so it’ll be cool to see how everything else works.”

Would you be interested in I’m A Celebrity?

“I would really like to do it. I think it’d be fun because you just don’t know how you’d be in there – you just have to really push yourself, down to what you’re eating and everything.

“Strictly is my one, because I just know that I would really, really enjoy the experience just from dancing when I was a kid.”

Did you have a goodbye party?

“My amazing friends Katie [Hill, who plays Sarah] and Rosie [Bentham, who plays Gabby] put on a really nice do. They surprised me – I didn’t know where it was and wanted it to be kept as a surprise. It was the day after I’d finished filming.

“We had some drinks. We boogied for a bit. It was really nice – a really good night.”

Is there anyone on set who you’ve looked up to over the years?

“Claire King. I had a little bit with her in 2022. She came back to the show and she’s the most humble person ever. She’s so down to earth, which I’m all about. She just came back and didn’t mention to anyone what she’d done before, what she’d done in between, and she just gets on with the job.

“I just think Claire is such an iconic part of the show and that’s what Emmerdale is all about. I just really appreciate her career and what she’s done after being in a soap.

“I think us soap actors get really looked down on sometimes. I don’t know why, because we do so much. We film 10 scenes a day, which is crazy, and this is the best place to get your experience up.

“I’m going to take that away with me, but I always look up to Claire.”