It is a soap tradition as established as Peggy Mitchell throwing a no-good out of her pub- actors leaving in search of 'new challenges and opportunities'.
While lots of stars are content to remain on their shows for decades, others get itchy feet and depart, in search of new roles.
Some make it big in Hollywood or carve out a career in the UK entertainment industry, and some return to where it all began, their ambitions perhaps not going to plan.
We've taken a look at actors who have broken into Hollywood, and a few who didn't succeed.
Ricky Whittle
Ricky, 40, played kind-hearted police officer Calvin Valentine in Hollyoaks between 2006 and 2011.
His romance with Carmel McQueen melted hearts in the nation, but Calvin later went off the rails and was brutally murdered by Theresa McQueen in heartbreaking scenes.
Since then, the 2009 Strictly Come Dancing runner-up has gone on to play the main role in US Starz drama American Gods, about warring modern day deities.
The star went through hell preparing for the part and pumped iron alongside Rocky legend Sylvester Stallone.
The show lasted from 2017 and 2021 and was nominated for a number of awards.
Ricky also spent three years in the post-nuclear war drama The 100 and two in the hot romantic US series Mistresses.
Nathalie Emmanuel
Nathalie played Sasha Valentine, the younger sister of Ricky's Calvin, in Hollyoaks, between 2006 and 2010, before she crossed the pond.
Sasha was at the centre of high profile storylines involving heroin addiction and binge drinking, before she left for London.
Nathalie, 33, went on to appear in The Maze Runner movies and the Fast & Furious blockbuster franchise, playing computer hacker Ramsey.
She is perhaps best known globally for playing Missandei, loyal alley of Daenerys Targaryen in HBO series Game of Thrones.
Nathalie stars in horror flick The Invitation, out now, and has a slew other projects in the works, such as Fast X.
Himesh Patel
Himesh, 31, has had quite the transformation since his days as intelligent teen Tamwar Masood in EastEnders.
Viewers watched as Tamwar helped his family with their business, let go of his Oxbridge dreams and then depart Walford to travel the world with Nancy.
After nearly ten years, Himesh left EastEnders in 2016. He has had massive success in movies, appearing as the lead in Danny Boyle's Beatles-inspired Yesterday and Christopher Nolan's time-bending flick Tenet.
He played Jennifer Lawrence's journalist boyfriend in Netflix movie Don't Look Up, and is set to star in Providence, alongside Lily James and Inception actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Michelle Ryan
There were high hopes for Michelle Ryan's Hollywood career when she bagged the lead role in US TV show Bionic Woman in 2007.
Michelle played Zoe Slater in EastEnders between 2005 and 2007, and was part of the iconic scene in which Kat Slater ( Jessie Wallace ), shouts at her: "I'm your muvaaa".
Unfortunately, Bionic Woman was cancelled after just nine episodes.
Since then, Michelle has appeared in BBC staples like Doctor Who and Merlin, as well as ITV drama Death in Paradise, but her career has not hit the dizzying heights that seemed possible.
Jamie Lomas
Jamie, 47, is most well-known for his role as Hollyoaks villain Warren Fox, who he has played since 2006.
In 2011 he left the soap to pursue a career stateside, but returned just a year later, and went back to the soap in 2016.
The same year he said Hollywood was still his dream.
Speaking to HELLO! magazine, he explained: "Los Angeles is a massive draw for me. Acting is something that drives me and I won't stop until I achieve my goals. Hollywood might not be every actor's dream, but it certainly is mine."
Jamie, 47, continues to play bad boy Warren, and has starred in many iconic storylines, such as driving off a cliff with nemesis Claire in 2008.
According to his IMDB page, Jamie has two films in post-production, The Establishment: Division 9 and Punch, but neither look likely to pull in a blockbuster audience.
Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer, 50, rose to fame as loud-mouthed EastEnders icon Bianca Jackson.
She was at the centre of some of EastEnders' most explosive storylines - with a staggering 22 million viewers tuning in to watch Bianca's wedding to Ricky Butcher- but quit Albert Square for the first time in 1999 after six years.
Patsy returned to the soap full time in 2007, but after another six years in Albert Square, she decided to swap Walford for Tinseltown by quitting EastEnders for good to move to Hollywood.
The actress wanted to take her family to Los Angeles for a "once in a lifetime opportunity", with a friend adding: "Not only is Patsy excited about future work in Hollywood, she is making the move for the sake of the whole family. It is a lifestyle choice for them.
"She has lots of exciting offers lined up and feels the time is right to say goodbye. Her children are at the age where they can be moved across to the States relatively easily. And it has always been her big ambition to crack Hollywood."
However, the actress then swapped acting to become a full-time DJ. She has joined the likes of singer Macy Gray to perform in front of A-listers at swanky West Hollywood members club Soho House.
