Is Charlene off menu for new series of Raw?

MELANIE FINN

ACTRESS Charlene McKenna has hinted that her Raw character may not be returning for the new series.

The Herald can reveal how fans of the feisty Jojo may be missing her when the RTE programme returns in the autumn.

The Monaghan-born beauty won an IFTA for her portrayal of a young chef in the Dublin restaurant-based drama, which has now run for four series and co-stars Keith McErlean.

Diamond

But asked about what's happening with the fifth series, the 27-year-old sparked speculation that her popular character might not be coming back.

"I still can't talk about my involvement in Raw yet. One way or another, I'm still not 100pc sure if I'll be back. Jojo might be elsewhere but it's not all finalised yet, the deal. Everything's up in the air," she said.

"The show has been a diamond for me but I think there comes a time when you need to depart and move on."

The talented actress has been dividing her time between London and Dublin as she continues filming Ripper Street after landing a key role in the BBC drama.

"I play a prostitute and it's going well. I'm enjoying myself and it's lovely to be running around Dublin in ridiculous outfits. I've been flying back and forth and we've been filming from March up until to July. That has been taking over my life at the moment and after that, I don't know," she said.

She's making a big splash across the pond, having landed a part in the BBC programme Merlin as well as Channel 4 hit series Misfits.

She received acclaim for her portrayal of a dead girl brought back to life in the quirky British sci-fi series.