'Emmerdale' star Leah Bracknell is to take a nine-month break from the show to qualify as a yoga teacher.
The 40-year-old, who plays Zoe Tate in the soap, will leave during the autumn in a dramatic storyline.
Commenting on her break from the show, Bracknell said: "I will greatly miss everyone at 'Emmerdale' but I am looking forward to spending some time with my family and having the opportunity to pursue other projects."
She added: "After 15 years playing Zoe it will be strange to spend time apart from her but I will be interested to see what the story office has planned and look forward to re-discovering her when I return."
