IS IT THE END FOR SALLY?

Sally Dynevor on why new evidence that could free her Corrie namesake may come too late after she’s subjected to another savage attack

Sally Metcalfe’s worst nightmare comes true in Coronation Street this week when her cell-mate Mad Marcia attacks her with a knife.

Poor Sally, who’d already been savagely beaten by Marcia after being imprisoned for a crime she did not commit, has spent Christmas and New Year in fear of her life.

Sally’s family have been in a race against time to get the crucial evidence required to exonerate her. But now it could all be in vain when Marcia – who blames Sally for getting her into trouble with prison staff – pulls out a knife and lunges at her.

‘Marcia’s evil, and Sally’s terrified,’ says actress Sally Dynevor, who plays her namesake. ‘ She knows her family are close to finding the proof she needs to get out before she’s battered again – or worse – by Marcia.’

Sally, who was mayor of Weatherfield before her conviction, was sentenced to four years after being set up for fraud by conman Duncan Radfield. Duncan has always claimed his wife May is dead, but she’s living in Costa Rica and he’s been siphoning off council funds to her.

With his story starting to unravel, Duncan was last week criti- cally injured after Sally’s husband Tim chased him into the path of a car during a fight. When Sally’s daughter Sophie visits the hospital, she’s stunned to find May there and takes a photo to prove she’s alive and Duncan lied. But will it be too late to save her mum?

Sally Dynevor, who grew up in Oldham and has played Sally since 1986, says that whatever happens, she’s had enough of prison life. ‘I enjoyed filming those scenes at first,’ she says. ‘But after getting beaten up over and over again, I can’t wait to get out and film on the Street again!’

Sally, 55, says the violent scenes have taken their toll. ‘ It’s been great, but because I’ve been doing it loads of times it’s exhausting!’

Meanwhile, her character’s rela- tionship with husband Tim has also been tested, not least because Gina fell for him and tried to split them up. But they’ve weathered the storm and Sally says, ‘I hope they stay together forever. I love working with Joe Duttine, who plays Tim.’

She was delighted by the public reaction to her character being jailed, which saw real-life campaigns to free her. ‘It’s been incredible, if surreal,’ she says.

After 33 years on the soap, having originally joined for four episodes, the married mum- of-three admits she can’t see herself leaving Corrie. ‘I’m realistic. If I leave I’m never going to be doing what I’m doing now, working every day with great people. I feel lucky working in a job I still get excited about.’