Okay we all know no matter how popular characters are or how successful a series is that it cannot continue without the cast of characters being altered every now and again. As writers we kill off characters we love, we may even grieve for them a little, others we celebrate freeing ourselves from, but what ever the emotion every exit evokes some sort of feeling or should.
I thought it might be fun to look at some exits which have stuck in my mind over the years, first Kim Tate leaving Emmerdale many years ago when I actually watched soaps occasionally, this clip is a little long but is the perfect way for a bitch to leave the door open for a return at a later date.
Another soap exit and this was possible the first time I remember seeing someone die of an illness, not that it was the first time obviously just the first one that sticks in my mind previous to this one I recall people dying of old age or being murdered but not the result of disease.
Sometimes it is the actor rather than the character who wishes to leave, the most fascinating way of dealing with this was Doctor Who when original Doctor William Hartnell was forced to give up the role because of ill health, the BBC not wanting to give up on its new hit programme needed a radical solution and hey presto regeneration was invented, these days many shows just swap actors and automatically assume the viewer will accept the face change.
The final clip is even more extreme it is what can be resorted to when you decide to end a show but decide to leave the slightest of cracks open for creative writing to create and elaborate get out clause.
I could keep going after all there are many memorable ends that could be discussed I never even started with the happy endings but then they never make quite the same impression… what’s your favourite exit?
Paula Acton 