HER on-screen family may be waving goodbye to Coronation Street but Walkden actress Catherine Tyldesley says she has no plans to leave the cobbles.

It has been more than two years since the former St George's RC High School pupil arrived in the soap as ditzy, high-maintenance Eva Price with mum Stella, played by Michelle Collins.

Since then, the Price family have become a powerful force in Weatherfield but it was recently announced Michelle and Sue Johnston, who plays Eva’s grandmother Gloria, will be leaving next year.

John Michie, who played Stella’s murdering boyfriend Karl Munro, has already left.

Catherine, who turned 30 last week, said: “It's all change at the moment.

“It's the end of an era. Michelle’s leaving, Sue’s going and John’s gone.

“It's going to be horrible because I’ve grown so close to them.

“I'm definitely hoping we’re able to stay in touch and both of them have said they’d love to come back, so I’d be gutted if either of them got killed off.”

The actress, who trained at the Birmingham School of Acting, admits she was worried at first that her character would be given the boot too.

But her future in the soap is secure and she has a juicy storyline on the horizon as Eva is about to embark on a passionate romance with Jason Grimshaw, played by Ryan Thomas, who Stella had a fling with.

She said: “Originally, when they told me they were going to put Eva and Jason together, I was a bit dubious because of the relationship that Stella used to have with Jason.

“But when I read the script I just thought, ‘Oh my God, this is so cute!’ It’s not just a fleeting thing or a one-night stand. They genuinely do fall in love with each other.”

While Coronation Street is keeping her busy for the foreseeable future, Catherine, who trained in musical theatre and has singing lessons in her spare time, says it is her dream to star in a West End musical, and would also love to have a go at opera.

She said: “I wish they’d bring back Popstar To Operastar. It was so interesting to watch how they could change their voices.

“There’s so much that I want to do. Hopefully I’m just at the start of lots of exciting things.”