Welcome to interview N0. 7 from my visit to the Coronation Street set, and my day caught in a flurry of exclusive summer storyline interviews.
The last of my press interviews is saved for a Corrie legend. Being in the presence of Sally Dynevor (AKA Metcalfe, Webster) is a real treat and felt like an absolute dream. Back in June when I attended this press day event, Jack Webster’s sepsis storyline was a mere tabloid rumour, and 'spoiler alerts' had only just started being printed. Fast-forward 6 weeks, and following the partial removal of Jacks' leg (how good was that CGI!!), that storyline is now running alongside Sally’s council funding fraud fracas. Its almost poetic justice then, when Sally gets arrested next week, at a charity fundraiser, for young Jacks rehabilitation!
Q: Do we need to dig out our Free the Weatherfield One t-shirt?
"You definitely do. I need all the support I can get at the moment!" enthuses Sally.
“It’s a great story, I’m really enjoying it. It’s fantastic. We’ve got Nick Gleaves who’s playing Duncan and a little bit of comedy and a sad story, when Sally desperately tries to do something good for society” Sally continues “We put on this big event and we get everyone to come along and Sally’s dressed as a clown with big red nose and red cheeks- which I’ve had to walk around the building in for the last three weeks” she laughs “Tim’s a strongman, Gina’s a bearded lady and Yasmeen is a snake charmer – and of course, that’s when she’s (Sally) arrested. All of a sudden, a policeman walks in and she’s like ‘oh, he might be coming to help’ and then he arrests her. She’s shocked, she doesn’t understand what’s going on”
Q: Do you think she’s been naive and a bit gullible, or do you feel sorry for her?
“A bit of both. To be given this power, to give a charity £40,000, on a girl really who’s just stitched knickers for the last few years is amazing. So, she has been naïve but she has been trying to do something good. I know she says ‘I’m snooty and pretentious and nobody likes me’ but in actual fact, I think she’s trying to do her best and she’s trying to be a good person so she has been very, very naive”
Q: Does Duncan specifically target Sally? Does he have a grudge against her?
“She’s just collateral damage, he was just an opportunist”
Q: She’s so trusting. Do you ever feel like you want to shake her?
“There are times when I feel she’s quite wise. I did a scene with Joe (Duttine – Tim Metcalfe) today and it’s all about him not trusting me and she suddenly becomes incredibly strong when she really needs to be. I like the fact that she’s an innocent sometimes and I like it when she knows she’s right, she can be really strong”
Q: How do you think Sally would cope if she ended up in jail? Would she crumble?
“For Sally that would be the worst thing, not only losing the privileges, being locked away in a room without your family and all of those things but just the shame of it. I think that would be horrible for Sally. The fact that everyone on Coronation Street knows she’s gone to prison – oh my God! She wouldn’t be able to walk down Coronation Street with her head held high, that’s for sure and she’ll get really ribbed in Underworld”
Q: What’s kept you on the cobbles all this time?
“Great stories, it’s like a family. I’ve been here 32 years. I can’t imagine not being here. It’s the best job in the world in so many different ways, great writing, funny and sad and it’s just a brilliant place to work and as an actor. When you’re picking up your scripts and you can’t wait for the next one it is so thrilling and I’d never get that anywhere else” she jokingly adds “ And I live 20 minutes down the road, that’s another good reason!”
Will Sally Metcalfe end up in jail? Is Tim’s incarceration also on the cards? Will Duncan get away with the crime? What do you think? Let us know in the comments section...
Huge thanks to our editor Glenda Young for letting me loose in Weatherfield!.A surreal, privileged, and on the whole, amazing experience.
Also,big thanks to Alison and all of the ITV Corrie PR team, for looking after me on the day.
I am @rybazoxo and I write Wednesday night episode reviews for @CoroStreetBlog - your self-styled ‘cobbles connoisseur’
TARA
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