Alexis Bledel quits The Handmaid's Tale

Alexis Bledel has quit 'The Handmaid's Tale'.

The 40-year-old actress - who won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress for her work on the first season - has revealed that she will not return for season five, which has already started shooting.

She told Variety: "After much thought, I felt I had to step away from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ at this time. I am forever grateful to Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support."

The show is based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood, and takes place in a patriarchal dystopia called Gilead, which used to be the United States.

Alexis played Emily Malek, who was a Handmaid called Ofglen until she escaped to Canada, and along with her Emmy win, she was also nominated a further three times for her work on the show.

Alexis first found fame on 'The Gilmore Girls', where she played Rory Gilmore, alongside Lauren Graham as her mother Lorelai Gilmore.

She has also starred in movies including 'The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants' and 'Sin City'.