Hollyoaks star confirms exit after nine years and final scenes have already aired

Another Hollyoaks favourite has left the Channel 4 soap.

Actor Rory Douglas-Speed has confirmed his final scenes as Joel Dexter have aired nine years after he took over the iconic role from Andrew Still.

The character of Joel was played by Andrew from 2011 until 2013 before Rory stepped in to portray the village priest from 2016 until present day.

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As the son of villain Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) and Marie Fielding (Rita Simons), Joel was at the centre of several explosive storylines from drug addiction to attempting to murder his own father.

However, Rory has confirmed Joel's exit and shared a message to fans on his Instagram page on Monday (October 6) evening.

He penned: "Well GOODBYE @hollyoaksofficial it’s been the best years of my life!

"To everybody in that studio that welcomed in me in, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! -and especially the fans! Thank you thank you thank you! Hopefully you’ll catch me in something else soon!"

Rory also shared a series of behind-the-scenes snaps from his time working on the show including a sweet snap posing with Nadine Mulkerrin who plays Cleo McQueen in the Channel 4 soap and his wife in real life.

His post was unsurprisingly inundated with messages from fans as well as his co-stars wishing him the best for his future endevdours.

Rory's wife Nadine penned: "I welcomed you in big time lol. I love you, so proud of you !! Bye Joel! Certified fittest priest in soap."

Former co-star Lucy-Jo Hudson, who played Donna-Marie Quinn in Hollyoaks, added: "Ah mate, loved working with you. Wishing you all the best for your next ventures not that you’ll need it x."

Adam Woodward, who portrayed Brody Hudson in the soap, wrote: "The absolute legend of Hollyoaks. Love you brother, onto the chapter."

Joel's exit comes the same month Hollyoaks celebrates 30th anniversary which is just around the corner.

Teasing plans for the huge milestone, executive producer Hannah Cheers previously said: "We want to make it a celebration across the whole month really because we can't physically fit all of the characters into that.

“So that's why it's kind of becomes a bit more of a challenge in terms of which stories that you really want to hear about and focus on.

“But obviously there just needs to be enough of a sense of nostalgia in terms of Hollyoaks' origin story and everything that we love and know about the show.

“But then also the kind of characters that are going to be able to shake things up and create jeopardy and danger and spit things out in a different way at the end of that."

Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am