Emmerdale’s Sophie Powles has spoken of her sadness after her character was killed off.

Holly Barton met her end in Thursday’s double bill of the show.

Sophie Powles (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)
Sophie Powles (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

Sophie left the soap in 2012, but decided to return for six months – and viewers have seen her troubled character become addicted to heroin once again.

Now the actress has written on Instagram: “Good Bye Holly. After the most amazing six months back at Emmerdale, Holly’s journey has finally come to a very sad ending.”

Sophie said she was “grateful” to work on “such an important storyline”.

She added: “I have been so touched and inspired by all the people I have had the pleasure to meet and learn from. Thank you to all of the people who have taken time to stop me in the street and share your own stories of addiction and all you who have given such positive feedback.”

Viewers watched Holly’s mum Moira (Natalie J Robb) try to wake her daughter, before discovering the terrible truth on Thursday’s episode.

It was reported earlier this year that Sophie could have filmed her final scenes in Emmerdale as she only ever wanted to come back temporarily to the show.