Sarah Lancashire, a well-known and award-winning Happy Valley actress, has always been certain that she will not go back to Coronation Street.

Sarah is saying goodbye to the ditzy Raquel Watts part she performed for four years because she believes the character wouldn’t have much to do now that time has passed.

The Last Tango in Halifax and Kiri star isn’t coming back for this reason, but there’s another, much more focused explanation: the fashion.

Curly, the nerdy supermarket manager, took notice of Raquel since she was known for dressing outrageously well.

Sarah has claimed that the distinctly 1990s look wouldn’t work in the present-day Corrie.

It’s pretty obvious why I would never go back since the program evolves, decade by decade, she said at the National Television Awards, where she won three awards, including one for Lifetime Achievement.

You wonder, “Well, which one,” when people say, “I was in Coronation Street.” The 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s? They all share a distinguishing trait.

“I know when I was there in the 1990s it was very specific to that place and time, with a voice for writers who were just completely brilliant,” says the author. My character would currently be too old for short skirts, oh my!

So no, but you can leave it there and walk away from it because you never truly leave the characters, she said to The Sun.

You can’t truly move on from them because they take up residence inside of you. I’ve always thought that, more often than not, characters select you.

That is undoubtedly the case with Raquel; it seems feasible that any other actress could do Sarah justice.

Because of this, Raquel gained popularity with the audience, and three decades later, she is still regarded as a legend.

Her on-and-off romance with Curly, whom Raquel never actually loved, and their subsequent marriage were her most well-known stories.

Her farewell show was a unique two-person program in which she informed Curly that their relationship was over.

She was also noted for doing things slowly, and one of her most memorable comic scenes saw her struggling with Ken Barlow’s French lessons.

Since the crew knows that Happy Valley has a very clear ending and does not want to diminish its impact, Sarah has flexed her “never return” feeling everywhere, confirming that it is also a closed book.

Of course, she is correct, but that doesn’t make the tiniest bit of disappointment go away.