What happened to Coronation Street’s Emma star Alexandra Mardell after soap exit?

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Recently on Coronation Street, Steve McDonald learned a surprising secret: his father, Jim, had another son, Ben Driscoll. This revelation also brought up memories for longtime fans of Steve’s past heartbreak – the time his daughter, Emma Brooker, left the show.

Alexandra Mardell played Emma, who quickly became a popular young character on Coronation Street during her four years on the show, before her departure in 2022. The actor, originally from Leeds, first appeared in the ITV drama in 2018 as Steve’s previously unknown daughter. Before that, in 2017, she had a role in the crime series Vera.

Alexandra quickly gained attention in the soap opera world for her funny delivery and lively portrayal of Emma. She was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2018 Inside Soap Awards and then won the same award at the 2019 British Soap Awards.

Throughout her years on the show, Emma was at the center of many big stories, from passionate love affairs and tense family issues to the tragic accidental death of Ted Spear. This ultimately led to her departure from Weatherfield in 2022.

Alexandra later confessed that she primarily left Coronation Street because she wanted to explore different and more challenging acting roles beyond the world of soap operas.

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She shared that she was eager to explore different types of roles and projects. She genuinely enjoys the audition process—reading new scripts and filming self-tapes—and is thrilled to be doing it again.

Since leaving the show Coronation Street, Alexandra has been consistently working in television and radio. Soon after her departure, she starred as the lead in BBC Radio 4’s production of English Rose. Then, she delighted audiences by appearing on the 2022 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, which she won with professional dancer Kai Widdrington.

In 2023, Alexandra played Gaynor in the TV series The Family Pile, alongside Amanda Abbington, Clare Calbraith, and Claire Keelan. Although the show was cancelled after just one season because of low viewership, it allowed Alexandra to pursue more lighthearted and unique roles, moving away from the dramatic storylines she was used to.

Alexandra later guest-starred on the BBC comedy Daddy Issues, which led to another exciting opportunity. Starting in 2024, she became a main cast member on Smoggie Queens, a BBC Three comedy series about a lively group of friends in Middlesborough’s LGBTQ+ community.

The actress plays Lucinda in the show, alongside Phil Dunning, Mark Benton, Patsy Lowe, and Elijah Young. Smoggie Queens came back for a second season in May 2026, letting Alexandra demonstrate her range as an actress. This season includes a funny storyline where she even plays a completely different character – a made-up Spanish football player named Pablo Corzello.

She said she really enjoyed the experience. She often forgot she was in costume as Pablo, and would find herself chatting with the cast and crew before suddenly seeing her reflection and realizing how strange it was. It was a very surreal feeling.

Besides her acting career, Alexandra has had a significant personal update since leaving Coronation Street. She got engaged to actor Joe Parker in 2021, and they secretly tied the knot in North Yorkshire two years later. Joe is known for appearing in Hollyoaks and Doctors, but the couple chose to keep their wedding a private affair.

Honestly, we really just wanted our wedding to be a private moment with our closest people. We asked everyone nicely – like, a simple request – to put their phones away during the ceremony and not post any pictures online. It was just about keeping things intimate and special for us and our families.

Alexandra has had a successful career since leaving the show, but she hasn’t dismissed the possibility of returning to Coronation Street in the future. Because her character, Emma, wasn’t killed off, the show could easily bring her back.

She told Radio Times she was thrilled with how her character left the show. While saying goodbye was difficult, she was relieved there was a chance she could return someday. Knowing it wasn’t a permanent farewell kept her spirits up, and she was especially happy her character wasn’t killed off.

Smoggie Queens airs this Friday at 10.30pm on BBC Three and 11.50pm on BBC One.

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2026-05-15 20:21