Emmerdale star Rachael Gill-Davis has spoken out about Gail Loman’s surprise exit, calling her time on the soap “a mad two years”.

Back in March, it was announced that Gill-Davis would be leaving the soap as Gail, having played the character for nearly six years.

First introduced to the ITV soap in 2019 as the girlfriend of Ryan Stocks, Gail returned to the soap in 2023 as a series regular.

In emotional scenes that aired earlier this week, Gail’s exit played out after she decided to end her relationship with Ryan and move away from the village.

Taking to Instagram following Gail’s departure, Gill-Davis shared a couple of behind-the-scenes photos of her last day on set.

Along with the photos, she shared a heartfelt caption which said: “Well… what a mad two years this has been. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has shown love and support for the character over these past two years.

“The fans of Emmerdale are just fab and it’s been wonderful meeting some of you along the way. I did the absolute best with what I was given and it’s been lovely bringing a bit of humour to your screens now and again.”

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In the post, Gill-Davis thanked everyone who worked on the soap, including all of the cast and crew, saying: “You all MAKE this show, work so hard and it’s been a privilege to have gotten to work with each and every one of you.”

She continued: “I want to thank all the writers and directors I have got to work [with], ESPECIALLY Simon Ferguson who did this block. And the cast – I’ve met some really lovely people on this show – you know who you are – my love to you guys.

“I’ve grown so much as a person and actor but now it’s time to get back to the industry I LOVE and have missed. Excited for what is next.”