Hollyoaks star Stephanie Waring looked relaxed on Thursday as she was pictured for the first time after her final day on set, heading to her gym in Manchester.
The 46-year-old actress said an emotional farewell to her role on the soap opera on Wednesday after 28 years of playing Cindy Cunningham on the show.
She looked in better spirits as she headed to work out, cutting a casual figure in purple leggings and a sports bra.
Stephanie flaunted her toned midriff, pairing the sporty outfit with sneakers and a denim jacket.
The soap star looked natural with her hair pulled back in a sleek bun, smiling as she walked to the gym, a bottle of water in hand.
Hollyoaks star Stephanie Waring looked relaxed on Thursday as she was pictured for the first time after her final day on set, heading to her gym in Manchester.
The 46-year-old actress said an emotional farewell to her time on the soap opera on Wednesday after 28 years of playing Cindy Cunningham on the show.
The actress has played Cindy for nearly three decades and her heartfelt message about her time on the long-running show included calling her alter ego “worthy” of her tears.
This comes just a day after an emotional Stephanie wrote a lengthy and touching post on Instagram in tribute to her character, as well as sharing a supportive text message she received from her fiancé Tom Brookes ahead of her final day on set.
Stephanie is the only original character included in a recent cast selection of 20 members.
In May it was revealed that Hollyoaks had become the latest soap to be hit by strict budget cuts, with show bosses planning to reduce the workforce by 40 per cent.
The actress has played Cindy for nearly three decades and her heartfelt message about her time on the long-running show included calling her alter ego “worthy” of her tears.
The soap star wrote: ‘I knew today would be a tough day. However, I’ve been keeping my feelings about saying goodbye to the life I’ve known for 16 years in a box.
“I thought, ‘I’ll be fine, I’ve been preparing for 3 months, I can’t wait to start my new life.’ I woke up to this text from my fiancé.
‘It reminded me that I should feel… it reminded me how strong I am, it reminded me of what I’ve achieved, it reminded me that I created a Hollyoaks icon and that she is worthy of my tears…
“It reminded me that I am loved and that I am incredibly lucky to have a man who sees me for who I am in life, who sees the beauty and the brilliance, the flaws and loves them anyway.
Cindy (Stephanie) is the only original character included in a recent cast selection of 20 members (right)
In a long and touching post, Stephanie wrote a tribute to her character Cindy.
Stephanie got emotional on Wednesday as she ‘said goodbye’ to the show for good and headed out for her final day on set (pictured in 2022)
Stephanie’s fiancé Tom, who got down on one knee in December 2021 after a year of dating, praised his partner’s “unwavering commitment, resilience and passion” and assured her she can look forward to “exciting new adventures ahead” (pictured together in April 2024).
Her fiancé’s message was equally devastating, as he described it today as a “bittersweet moment filled with pride and nostalgia.”
The soap star wrote: ‘I knew today would be a tough day. However, I’ve been keeping my feelings about saying goodbye to the life I’ve known for 16 years in a box.
“Today I’m saying goodbye and I will feel it and cherish all my memories. Cindy, let’s do one last take! #goodbye.”
Her fiancé’s message was incredibly sweet, as he described today as a “bittersweet moment filled with pride and nostalgia.”
Tom, who got down on one knee in December 2021 after a year of dating, praised his partner’s “unwavering commitment, resilience and passion” and assured her she can look forward to “exciting new adventures ahead.”
This comes after Stephanie burst into tears earlier this year when she took to Instagram to share another very candid post about her devastation over his upcoming exit.
In the emotional video, she recounted the toll this has taken on her, saying: ‘Today I had to say goodbye to some of the crew members I’ve been working with for the past 16 years.
“And I’ve known this for 28 years. And it hit me like a bolt of lightning. I’m going to miss these people so much.”
She went on to say that she has to be positive, otherwise she would “just go down another path.”
Stéphane admitted: “For me the important thing is to keep showing up with a smile on my face, but I’m really going to miss everyone and it’s getting closer and closer to having to say goodbye properly.”
Her post received a lot of support from fans, who shared their own stories about losing their jobs and how it can often lead to something better.
This comes after Stephanie burst into tears earlier this year when she took to Instagram to share another very candid post about her devastation over his upcoming exit.
In the emotional video, she recounted the toll this has taken on her, saying: ‘Today I had to say goodbye to some of the crew members I’ve been working with for the past 16 years.
Speaking about being kicked off the show in an interview with Sun In April, Steph confessed she was in total disbelief at the news when she confessed: “I expected more loyalty after almost three decades.”
The star admitted that while she had a “gut feeling” she was going to be let go, she had also just signed a one-year contract that she believed would save her from the recent cuts.
She said: ‘At the meeting they read a script and a tear fell from my eye because I could feel it in the room.
‘They got to the end and they were like, ‘And with that, we’re losing Cindy from the show.’ I was just like, ‘I don’t understand.’ I was so distraught, I didn’t take it well. I was probably the most dramatic person that was ever told that.’
Steph explained that she burst into tears after hearing the news and was completely heartbroken.