Emmerdale spoilers follow.

Emmerdale aired Tracy Robinson’s exit tonight as she embarked on a fresh start outside the village. After accepting a surprise job offer from Cara Robinson, Tracy waved goodbye to her loved ones and headed off with her daughter Frankie in tow.

The emotional scenes marked the beginning of actor Amy Walsh’s real-life maternity leave. Walsh and her husband Toby-Alexander Smith welcomed their second daughter just last week.

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Tonight’s episode of Emmerdale saw Tracy packing up the last of her belongings while a disappointed Vanessa Woodfield watched on. Tracy explained that she is plagued by bad memories in the Dales and needed to “get away for a while”.

“I understand why you’re going, I do, and I hope it all works out for you,” said Vanessa. “But it won’t stop me wishing that you were still here.”

Later, as they stood outside with their moving boxes, Eric Pollard came over to say goodbye, wishing them well for their next

 adventure.

“You seem to care more than Cain does,” Tracy remarked, wondering where Frankie’s granddad had got to.

Unbeknownst to Tracy, Cain and the Dingle clan were preoccupied in another showdown with the Tates, who had callously demolished Holly Barton’s memorial site.

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When Cain finally tried to wave the pair off, he was heartbroken to discover they’d already gone. But luckily, Belle explained the situation to Tracy, who waited around so Cain and Frankie could have a proper goodbye,

“Hey, I just want you to know that you’re doing the right thing, and Nate would be really proud of you,” Cain told Tracy.

He added that he would pay them a visit at their new home, after his upcoming operation. They all shared a teary hug before Tracy and Frankie finally made their exit.

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.

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