Monday, 15 September 2008

Emmerdale stars Michael Jayston and Matthew Bose quit

Characters Donald De Souza and Paul Lambert to leave Yorkshire village soap

Matthew Bose has played Paul Lambert for the past 4 years

Emmerdale stars Michael Jayston and Matthew Bose have announced their plans to quit the show.

Michael, 72, who plays business tycoon Donald de Souza and Matthew, 34, who plays gay barman Paul Lambert, will go by the end of the year.

They are the latest stars to quit since the arrival of producer Anita Turner.

‘It's not the same since the hierarchy changed. Morale has never been so bad,’ a source tells The Mirror.

But Matthew denied rumours that management changes were the reason for his departure.

'The rumours in the press about low morale among the cast are completely untrue,' he says.

'This is a personal decision and one that I have agonised over for some time, particularly as the show and Anita in particular have been so supportive of me.'

Roxanne Pallett (Jo Sugden) and Matt Healy (Matthew King) have also handed in their notices.