Soaps

Coronation Street’s Jennie McAlpine reveals she returned to work the day after her dad died

Jennie's dad, Tom, died in 2017

Jennie McAlpine filmed Coronation Street scenes the day after her father died.

The soap star, whose late dad Tom passed away in March 2017, has revealed she was back on set the next day because she knew he would have wanted her to return to work on the cobbles.

Speaking to OK! magazine, she said: “I haven’t spoken about this before, but I went back in and filmed scenes the day after he died. I knew that’s what he would have wanted me to do…

“I told Alan [Halsall] what had happened and then he told everyone else. The producers were great, checking if I wanted to go ahead.

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“It was two scenes in the Rovers. I’d cried the day before so to spend the morning laughing at work was quite cathartic.

“Also there was a new actor coming in and I didn’t want him to be messed around.”

The 36-year-old actress admitted not everyone would have made the same decision, and she did find it quite draining being on set at such an emotional time.

She explained: “I hadn’t really slept the night before so I was pretty knackered afterwards. It took a lot out of me.

Jennie said her dad would have wanted her to return to filming (Credit: SplashNews.com)

“I know other people wouldn’t have chosen to do what I did and that’s absolutely fine – we all react differently to grief.”

Jennie has played Fiz Brown on Corrie since 2001, and she also revealed she still thinks her soap run could end “at any time”.

I hadn’t really slept the night before so I was pretty knackered afterwards.

She added: “It’s a brilliant job to have a family in because of the stability, but for all I know I might be for the chop at any time.

Jennie has been part of Coronation Street for nearly 19 years (Credit: ITV Hub)

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“I stepped away to do the jungle and I loved working with Rylan [Clark-Neal] last year on Supermarket Sweep so I’m very lucky that I get to do different things.

“Returning from maternity leave the second time after nine months away was a wrench and I could so happily stay at home all the time, but I love Corrie so I have no intention of leaving right now.”

Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV.

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Charlotte Rodrigues
Soap Contributor
Charlotte Rodrigues joined Entertainment Daily in April 2018, as Audience Engagement Executive. A huge soap fan, Charlotte then became Senior Soap Writer, delivering the latest storylines and spoilers to our followers.