Coronation Street star Mollie Winnard has become the latest actor to leave the famous cobbles for a rival soap opera, as budget cuts continue to impact the ITV programme. The 29-year-old actress, who played Kayla Clifton in 35 episodes back in 2018, has now joined the cast of BBC's Waterloo Road.
Mollie's Role on Coronation Street
Mollie portrayed Kayla Clifton, the daughter of Neil and Marsha Clifton, appearing on the show between April and July 2018. Her storyline involved getting close to Craig Tinker, played by Colson Smith, and seeking revenge on Bethany Platt, portrayed by Lucy Fallon, after her corrupt police officer father Neil, played by Ben Cartwright, was imprisoned.
New Beginnings on Waterloo Road
According to The Sun, eight years after her stint on Coronation Street, Mollie has landed a role as a teacher named Gemma Tully on BBC's Waterloo Road. She is set to appear in eight episodes of the series. The Daily Mail has reached out to the BBC for comment. Series 17 of Waterloo Road aired in January 2026, but the release date for the 18th series has yet to be announced.
Mollie's Other Acting Credits
Following her time on Corrie, Mollie took on the role of Maggie in All Creatures Great and Small in 2020. She has also appeared in Four Lives, Happy Valley, and Silent Witness. This year, she has taken on the role of Eleanor Elmsley in Apnas.
Brooke Vincent's Move to Hollyoaks
Just last month, another Coronation Street star, Brooke Vincent, announced her move to rival soap Hollyoaks. The 33-year-old actress, best known for playing Sophie Webster on the ITV show, confirmed the news on Instagram to her 917,000 followers. Brooke played Sophie, the youngest daughter of Kevin and Sally Webster, from 2004 until 2019. After seven years away from soap operas, the mother of two has landed a new role on Hollyoaks. She shared photos of herself outside the Hollyoaks village sign, captioning them, 'So excited to be joining the cast of Hollyoaks for such a powerful storyline!! I am so grateful for this opportunity to be back on screen playing a brand new character plus my family will be happy I’m back in a full time job Haha.'
Budget Cuts at Coronation Street
In June of last year, it was reported that Coronation Street's cast were left furious over budget cuts, which had already led to several stars being axed and episodes being reduced. The cuts reportedly put a dampener on the cast's annual summer party, which was cancelled. A source told The Sun that the stars organized and paid for their own gathering instead, noting that while it might not be a big expense for some well-known actors, it was a blow for others, especially since drinks were not included.
