Coronation Street star Sydney Martin has hailed one of her co-stars who isn't seen on screen for their role in helping to portray her character's major health storyline. Fans of the ITV soap, filmed in Salford, saw Betsy Swain rushed to hospital last month after being found collapsed at her home, No.6 Coronation Street.
In hospital, it was confirmed she had suffered a stroke at 18. She then had a second stroke while being treated, and doctors later confirmed the strokes were caused by a blood clot, which resulted from neck artery damage due to a temporary loss of circulation. The news left Betsy having to explain that her boyfriend, Dylan Wilson, had strangled her during consensual sex, despite both believing the pressure applied was minimal.
Recovery and behind-the-scenes recognition
The teen has since been released and is continuing her recovery at home, with fans praising the show for giving insight into her recovery, including speech therapy sessions. Earlier this week, Corrie released a video showing the efforts that have gone into adapting Sydney's physical appearance to make her portrayal as real as possible.
Sydney, who made her Corrie debut as Betsy in July 2024, previously shared a post supporting the make-up team who have been working hard to show the physical impact a stroke can have by using prosthetics. Now, she has praised Corrie's head of hair, makeup and special effects, Gillian Walsh, and her team following a behind-the-scenes post on social media.
Gillian Walsh's heartfelt thanks
Gillian took to Instagram with pictures giving a glimpse at her team's work and said: "Thank you so much for all the incredible love and feedback, especially the Corrie community, for the video sharing the life-casting process behind Betsy’s stroke storyline. The warmth, encouragement, and thoughtful messages we’ve received have meant more than I can properly put into words, and it’s been genuinely moving to see how deeply it has resonated with so many of you.
A huge thank you to Sydney for trusting my vision and for your patience and openness throughout our first in-house sculpt. Your commitment, sensitivity, and generosity in the role have been truly inspiring, and it’s been an absolute privilege to work alongside you on something so important."
She added: "Thank you @alexh_artistry_ for your sculpt and @lozenger92 - I'm loving our new in-house collabs. The whole of the insanely talented hair and make up team who help me bring stories to life week on week also with joy and light. Coronation Street is always a true team effort, and this storyline is no exception. It’s brought together so many exceptionally talented people both in front of and behind the camera, all contributing with care, skill, and dedication to tell a story that really matters. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a supportive, creative, and passionate team. Right team whats next?"
Sydney was among those responding to the post, writing: "The most gorgeous team to be a part of," while Corrie's own official account replied: "What a team!!"
