Coronation Street icon Sally Dynevor has been on the cobbles as Sally Metcalfe for a whooping 36 years.
Initially joining as Kevin Webster’s girlfriend, she has plenty of romantic experience under her belt, but is now happily settled with hubby Tim.
Sally sparked fears she’d quit earlier this year when she signed up for Dancing On Ice.
But committed to Corrie for the long-haul, Sally’s not going anywhere, and she even credits the show with saving her life.
Read more: Complete Coronation Street cast list 2022 – meet them all here!
When did Sally Dynevor join Corrie?
Sally made her debut in the ITV soap in January 1986 – and has been on screens ever since.
Before starting on the soap Sally appeared in one episode of Juliet Bravo and one episode of The Practice.
The year 2009 ended up being a huge year for the star – on the soap and in real life.
Her character, Sally Webster, was diagnosed with breast cancer – and it was this storyline that prompted the actress to get checked and diagnosed with the disease herself.
She took a six-month break from the show for treatment and, 10 years later, marked the date of her diagnosis by climbing Mount Everest.
What has Sally said about her breast cancer battle?
Sally trekked to Mount Everest Base Camp to mark 10 years since her breast cancer diagnosis in 2019.
She said: “My on screen character Sally Webster was struggling with a breast cancer diagnosis, which gave me the motivation to see my doctor.”
Sally was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2009 and took time off from the soap to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
She returned to the cobbles in July 2010 after beating the disease.
Speaking about her diagnosis on Lorraine in 2016 she said: “Absolutely [the show saved my life].
“I would never have checked, I didn’t even think about breast cancer; 46 far too young, I thought, to get breast cancer. So it was a bit of a shock.”
In 2018 she told OK! magazine that she still couldn’t “quite believe it happened”.
“It was unbelievable. It’s a period in my life that I can’t quite believe happened,” she said.
“We always say that life mirrors art on Corrie but it was really strange. I just refer to it as a blip. We have to move on.”
She continued: “If it wasn’t for Coronation Street I never would have gone to the doctors. I was in total denial. I remember saying: ‘I’m sure it’s nothing, I’m sure I’m wasting your time.'”
After an operation and chemotherapy Sally has been cancer-free for 12 years like her on-screen alter ego.
How old is Sally Dynevor?
Sally was born in Middleton, Greater Manchester on May 30, 1963. She is 58 years old.
She was born Sally Whittaker, but she married scriptwriter Tim Dynevor in 1996, though she kept her maiden name.
Following her cancer battle in 2009 she decided to go by her married name instead.
Why was she awarded an MBE by the Queen?
Sally was given an MBE in December 2020 in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.
At the time, she said: “I am humbled, grateful and very proud to have received this honour. I am still in shock.”
She was given the nod – which was presented to her last year – for Services to Drama.
Who is Coronation Street star Sally’s famous daughter?
Sally’s daughter came to national prominence when period drama Bridgerton dropped on Netflix.
In the first series, Phoebe Dynevor plays leading lady Daphne Bridgerton, whose quest for love viewers followed in series one.
Phoebe revealed that Sally “skipped” her daughter’s sex scenes in the show.
At the time, the young actress said: “She is very proud and excited.
“I watched the show with the whole family, even the grandparents managed to watch it.
“I had to sit there and fast forward on high alert with the remote control. We managed it just about.”
Sally is also mum to daughter Harriet and son Samuel with her husband Tim, who she married in 1995.
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Read more: Coronation stars support Sally Dynevor over fears
Is Sally Dynevor leaving Coronation Street?
Corrie fans fear not – Sally is going nowhere.
Despite fears she was leaving the soap when she signed up for 2022’s Dancing On Ice, she remained on screens.
Speaking ahead of the series launch, she admitted she would be multi-tasking during her skating run.
“I’ll have to do both, which I know from the other cast who have done Dancing On Ice have said it’s quite tough,” she admitted.
The star said she was keen to show another side of her, though, after being on Corrie for so long.
“I’ve been in Corrie for 35 years and I’ve loved every minute of it but to be given an opportunity to do something that’s different from Coronation Street is wonderful and I’m really looking forward to it,” she said.
In fact, during her skating stint, Sally managed to get a break when her character left screens to care for her sister, Gina, who had had an accident.
When she returned earlier this month, she was not pleased to see her mother-in-law, Elaine, had got her feet well and truly under the table.
She managed to get Elaine to leave, but it seems Sal now has another problem: her husband Tim is suffering from impotence following his heart operation.
Although Sally assures him it’s fine, she’s encouraging him to see a doctor. Will he listen to her pleas?
Dancing on Ice is on Sunday (January 16) on ITV at 6.30pm.
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