‘Mandy wants a new mission!’

Original cast member Jo Joyner, 43, on why the time is right for her to leave Ackley Bridge...

Where do we find Mandy at the start of the new series?

Mandy comes back from having had a baby with a new drive. She misses being among the students and just wants to teach, so Martin Evershed takes over as head teacher. However, having previously been head herself, Mandy can’t quite let it go and keeps interfering in his authority, and that makes her realise she needs to be in charge.

Why does Mandy decide it’s time to leave the school?

She ends up feeling like her work at Ackley Bridge is done and that she’s not really needed there any more. She’s helped unite the community and she’s kept the school going but now she wants a new mission. So she’s off to pastures new… And they are really new! I gave the producers plenty of notice that I wanted to leave the show, because I wanted them to do something with it. It is a very gentle exit storyline, but at least it feels like Mandy’s going forwards, not backwards!

There’s a lovely scene between Mandy and Kaneez in your final episode. Was that nice to film because you and Sunetra Sarker are good friends in real life? Yes, it was definitely more poignant because I’ve known Sunetra for over 20 years. In that scene, Mandy’s anxious about leaving, but Kaneez thanks Mandy for believing in her and for spotting her potential to do more than just work in the canteen, and is excited at the thought of her doing that for others. It’s a lovely speech and very moving. Due to COVID restrictions, I couldn’t have a leaving party but because I was in a bubble with Sunetra she gave me a goodbye hug from every person on the team!

What are your plans post-ackley Bridge?

I am currently shooting [mystery writer] Harlan Coben’s latest Netflix thriller, Stay Close, then I’m hopefully filming f or the fourth series of BBC1’S Shakespeare & Hathaway. Myself and Mark Benton laugh our way through that job. I would never say never to going back to a longrunning drama but I like the variety and freedom of doing lots of different things. I’d like to play someone really evil!