It’s been revealed today that Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh is taking a couple of months off from the show and her role as Hayley Cropper.

Julie requested the leave so that she can star in new stage play Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster, which is being held at the Manchester Royal Exchange.

In it, Julie will play the role of grieving mother Sylvia in a dramatization of the real and horrific events surrounding the murder of 20 year old Sophie Lancaster, a student who was battered to death for being a goth.

Taking to Twitter recently, Julie wrote, “Right that’s me done. Bye bye Weatherfield till October! #bitoftheatre #sicksinmouth.”

Apropos of Twitter, former Corrie star Helen Flanagan posted a picture of her new hairdo on the social networking site yesterday, which revealed that she’s gone blonde again.

As fans of the show may recall, when Helen – who played Rosie Webster – also took extended leave from the show last year, she cut her long brunette hair into a short pixie style, and dyed it platinum blonde.

However, when she returned to the show, the soap’s bosses asked her to go back to Rosie’s trademark brunette.

What do you think? Does Helen suit being a blonde?