Is Amy Barlow Leaving Coronation Street?

"Coronation Street" easily stands as one of the longest-running TV shows of all time; in fact, the series has been around for so long that audiences have quite literally gotten to see some major characters age from infants all the way to grown adults. Such is the case with Amy Barlow, the daughter of longtime characters Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) and Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson). Fans have watched Amy navigate a decidedly dramatic and tumultuous youth ever since she was introduced as a baby, but there have recently been rumblings that the Barlow daughter may be taking her leave from "Coronation Street" for good.

Amy's most recent "Coronation Street" storylines have taken quite a dark turn. Her efforts to cope with her sexual assault at the hands of her former flatmate have gotten her in trouble with the law, to the point where she's facing potential prison time. That, combined with teases at a tragic future for Amy from her current actor, Elle Mulvaney, who has played the role for eight years, some fans have come to assume that her time on the series may be at an end. However, that's actually not the case — for now, at least.

The Sun reports that Mulvaney has renewed her contract for an additional year. "It's such a wonderful thing to be able to go into work and just love your job, even still after 13 years," the actor told the outlet.

In her interview with The Sun, Elle Mulvaney reflected on her time playing Amy on "Coronation Street" and the fan response to her portrayal of the character, especially in the wake of several particularly intense plot threads. "The reaction to Amy's storyline has been insane," Mulvaney said. "We've had so many people reach out to me, and I'm really quite proud."

Mulvaney went on to tease what will be in store for Amy over the course of this upcoming year on the series. While the fallout from Amy's recent traumatic episodes still looms large, it seems that she'll be channeling a bit of her mother as she works to reassert her identity and autonomy. "Now, with what's coming up — Amy is getting her fire back," Mulvaney explained. "She is Tracy's daughter, will she be a mini Tracy? You'll have to wait and see."

As for any particular installments that regular viewers should look out for, Mulvaney noted that the annual "Coronation Street" holiday celebration episode may have some major developments for Amy. "We have a lot of exciting stuff coming up, I can't really say too much," the actor said. "One thing I can say is that it is a good Christmas. I'm sworn to secrecy."