Emmerdale star Danny Miller has announced that he is leaving the ITV soap, 13 years after he made his debut as Aaron Dingle.
Metro reports that the fan-favourite shared the news at a press event ahead of his participation in the new series of ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.
He said: "I'd like to think I'm very, very far away from Aaron and that's part of the reason why I wanted to do [I'm A Celebrity...].
"I've actually left Emmerdale. I, unfortunately, decided to start a new path in life. I've got my baby now and I'm [getting] married next year, it felt like the right time to open a new chapter in my life. I'm very, very emotional about it actually, it's been a massive part of my life."
"I've wanted to spread my wings for a while and a show like this can give me the opportunity to see what else happens after it," Miller continued. "[I can] start a new life with my family and see what happens."
Miller and his fiancée Steph Jones welcomed their son, Albert, last month.
The actor, who has been at the centre of some of Emmerdale's biggest storylines, said that the years pass by "really quickly when you're in a soap".
"I've been there for 13 years. I had a little break, but 13 years ago I started with Aaron. I've grown up with him and I feel very protective of him. I think it was time for him to start a new life.
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"We work Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm, so for me, having a new baby, as a lot of the cast that have kids know, it's very difficult to be able to spend much time with them and you don't get a lot of time off.
"Obviously, when you're in a contract and in a fantastic show like Emmerdale, you're at the hands of the storylines and the writers. That's something that I wanted to free them of and free myself of, because I wanted to make sure that I could pick and choose, and be there for my baby if I needed to be."
"It was a really tough decision, that's why I'm so emotional about it now, talking about it," he added.
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! starts on Sunday 21 November at 9pm on Virgin Media One and ITV.
Emmerdale airs on Virgin Media One and ITV Monday to Friday.
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