Jennifer Metcalfe shows off her toned midriff in a plunging crop top as she dines out in Manchester

Jennifer Metcalfe was spotted dining out in Manchester on Friday.

The Hollyoaks actress, 40, flaunted her toned midriff in a plunging crop top as she arrived at Cibo restaurant in Wilmslow.

Jennifer looked sensational in the long-sleeved piece, which she paired with black high-waisted trousers.

To complete her look, she strolled around in flat black sandals and carried her belongings in a sleek shoulder bag.

It comes after Channel 4 announced this will happen to stop airing individual Hollyoaks episodes on the main channel for the first time in 28 years.

Bosses have pulled the plug on the soap, which airs on the main channel, in a new digital strategy to freshen up viewing experiences at the state broadcaster.

The broadcaster today announced that the new schedule will launch on Monday, September 25, promising viewers ‘a huge stunt week full of spectacular and eye-catching storylines’ with ‘scenes shot in sensational new locations’.

The soap, which started in 1995, is moving to sister channel E4 in a bid to shake up its schedule.

Fans of the show set in a drama-filled Chester village can still catch up on the weekly omnibus airing on Channel 4.

Episodes are also uploaded to YouTube, so they are suitable for younger audiences, and can be watched on YouTube and broadcast on E4 the week after streaming.

Channel 4 has been home to Hollyoaks for almost thirty years, and this latest change signals an attempt to keep up with the digital age and reflects the increasing demand for on-demand entertainment.

64 percent of viewers watched the soap via episode streaming or E4 this year, meaning 556 million minutes of the show were streamed in the first half of the year – signaling a shift in viewing habits.

The broadcaster has labeled Hollyoaks as ‘Britain’s first streaming-led soap’, making episodes available for streaming the day before they air on E4.

Ian Katz, Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer, said: ‘Hollyoaks has always been the youngest and most innovative soap, so it’s fitting that it is the first to embrace the changes in younger viewers’ behavior and move to a truly digital release pattern . .

‘It was the first British soap to move to a stream-first model last year and this is the next stage of that evolution.

“We hope that making Hollyoaks available on YouTube and our own platforms will introduce a whole new generation to the show.”

The soap’s young fan base has prompted the broadcaster to put its demographics at the heart of its new streaming decisions, after discovering that the number of people streaming episodes before they aired on TV rose 53 percent compared to the same period last year .

Channel 4’s move towards a more digitally-led experience comes as the broadcaster received record views via streaming after releasing programs such as Married at First Sight UK and Married at First Sight Australia, aimed at younger audiences.