Tracy Robinson departed Emmerdale in heartbreaking scenes broadcast on Sunday evening. The businesswoman, portrayed by Amy Walsh, has been a fixture on the ITV soap since 2014 but has taken a temporary exit from the Yorkshire village to allow the actress, 39, to take maternity leave.

After being presented with a new job opportunity by Cara Robinson, the mother of her deceased husband Nate, she recognised a chance for herself and her daughter Frankie to secure a fresh beginning – though not before sharing an emotional conversation with her half-sister Vanessa.

She told her: “We’ll miss you guys too but there’s just things…memories around here that I would forget. When dad got our of prison, he meant nothing to me, and as soon as I started to love him – he was dead.

“So much has gone wrong for me round here, me and Frankie just need to get away for a while. Start trying to rebuild our lives.”

Later that day, Tracy was prepared to depart with her daughter but remained hopeful that Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) would arrive to bid farewell to his granddaughter, particularly given their strained relationship recently. Ultimately though, Cain, who is presently fighting prostate cancer, turned up just in the nick of time, having become embroiled in the drama surrounding Joe Tate’s scheme to remove Holly Barton’s memorial. Racing to bid farewell, Cain crouched down to hand Frankie a bag of sweets for the trip and told Tracy: “I just want you to know that you’re doing the right thing and I’m really proud of you.”, reports the Mirror.

Tracy wished Cain well with his forthcoming operation, and he embraced his granddaughter once more as he emotionally said: “I’ll see you later, my girl. Love. you” Tracy could hardly contain her tears as she and Cain hugged tightly, before she then left the village.

The scenes have been broadcast just days after Amy, who is the sister of Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh, announced that she had given birth. Amy already has three year old Bonnie with EastEnders actor Toby Alexander-Smith, but took to social media last Monday morning to share that their second little one had arrived.

She posted on Instagram: “This time last week I was heading into established labour. We’ve been in the most magical bubble ever since.” Kimberley was the first to respond to her little sister’s post, simply leaving behind a string of star emojis.

Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks, who is married to Amy’s Emmerdale co-star Michelle Hardwick, penned: “The most beautiful news. MASSIVE congratulations to you all. Sending oodles amounts of love your way xxxx” Supporters of the soap actress, who also featured in Hollyoaks Later, were similarly swift to offer their congratulations.

One commented: “Congratulations to you all…. wonderful news, hope you both are well” while another added: “Huge congratulations to you all,” and a third remarked: “Wonderful xx So happy for you guys xx”

On Boxing Day, Amy’s followers were equally delighted to discover that a little girl was expected. She uploaded a video to Instagram with the caption: “New addition to the family incoming!” The clip shows Amy and Toby’s daughter, Bonnie, sitting on the staircase with her male cousins. Text emerges asking: “When it’s your last Christmas before becoming a big sister… will I still be the only girl in the family?”

Revealing her pregnancy news, Amy shared a black-and-white video on Instagram, accompanied by Nick Drake’s ‘Northern Sky’. In the touching footage, she’s heard telling Bonnie: “Mummy and daddy have got a special secret to tell you..”

She continued: “Mummy has got a baby in her tummy. A baby sister or brother for you,” while the camera showed a scan photograph being held by Amy, Toby, and Bonnie.