Coronation Street actor Bruno Langley, who has been at the centre of a gay storyline as teenager Todd Grimshaw, is leaving the ITV soap.
Langley's character Todd provided the soap's first gay kiss
The 22-year-old said he wanted to leave the show "on a high" after four years.
His character provided Coronation Street's first gay storyline last October when he kissed Nick Tilsley.
Twenty-one complaints from viewers were rejected by watchdog ITC, which ruled that the pre-watershed scene "would not upset the majority of viewers".
"I have worked at Coronation Street since I left college at 18 and I feel it is time to develop myself as an actor," Langley said.
"The current storyline has been fantastic to play and I am looking forward to seeing how the writers will develop it for my departure."
His character Todd is currently torn between pregnant fiancée Sarah and gay nurse Karl Foster.
Scriptwriters said Todd would not be killed off, leaving the door open for a possible return.
Langley said his fan following "changed" after he appeared in the soap's gay storyline.
"I get a lot more attention from gay men," he said. "Even in the supermarket blokes come up for a chat."
Coronation Street producer Tony Wood said: "Bruno is a talented young actor with a great future ahead of him."