Irish actress and Fair City stalwart Rachel Sarah Murphy has revealed her shock at being written out of the soap.  The 42-year-old, who has played Jo Fahy for the last 16 years, revealed that the move was unexpected and that she doesn't want to leave the show. Rachel plays Jo Fahy on the soap.  Speaking to the Irish Daily Mail's You Magazine, the star admitted: "Jo's not in Fair City for 2016, I've no contract for 2016". "I'm saying it now as I think I owe it to the fans. I don't want to disappear and have them wondering what happened. "They deserve more. I thought I'd always be there. I didn't see it coming - nobody did among the cast, they're in shock too. I would never have left." The actress has starred in Fair City for 16 years.  While the actress admitted she didn't want to leave, she did hint that she was getting tired of her character and felt that Jo had lost direction. She said: "I didn't like what was happening with Jo where her character changed so much and got lost in the mammy and baby thing - that's not a reflection of real women." Rachel felt her character had lost direction.  "Women don't change at their core because they get married and have a baby. I know because I'm a mother. "She got so lost as a character and to be honest, I felt really bored. I could have played Jo in my sleep."