Amanda Redman has announced she is leaving BBC One’s popular police drama New Tricks.

The actress plays Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman in the ratings winning drama but has decided to quit the series after eight seasons. “I love New Tricks and I have loved playing Sandra – I’ve got some gritty plotlines – but I feel I have to try something new” The actress told the Mirror newspaper.

However, fans of New Tricks shouldn’t worry about Redman’s character disappearing off-screen just yet as the actress told The Mirror she will film another series before bowing out. “I am going to film a further eight episodes and then I’ll leave. The time’s come. After a while, there is a danger of things getting stale.”

The actress is the second cast member of New Tricks to quit; James Bolam, who played Jack Halford, announced he had quit the drama last September. The actor is expected to reprise his role for one episode of the new series (the show’s ninth) to provide closure for the character.