Coronation Street's Betsy Swain, played by actress Sydney Martin, is currently at the heart of a powerful storyline tackling the silent dangers of non-fatal strangulation. In recent episodes, Ryan Connor discovered an unconscious Betsy, who was rushed to hospital. Doctors confirmed she had suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot resulting from neck artery damage due to temporary loss of circulation.
Betsy's Stroke and Recovery
After stabilizing from a second stroke, an embarrassed and vulnerable Betsy revealed that her boyfriend Dylan Wilson strangled her during consensual sex, despite both believing the pressure applied was minimal. In the coming months, viewers will witness Betsy's challenging recovery as she transitions from hospital to home, navigating significant life changes.
Sydney Martin's Real Age Stuns Fans
With Betsy taking center stage, fans are keen to learn more about Sydney Martin. In the soap, Betsy is 18, born in September 2007, and will turn 19 later this year. However, in real life, Sydney is 24. She celebrated her birthday in October, sharing on Instagram that she was 24. Fans were floored, with comments on a Coronation Street Facebook fan page including: “Happy 24th birthday to Sydney Martin who plays Betsy Swain!” and “Never knew she was 24!” Another fan quipped: “I need a moment! She’s 24 What?!”
From Tesco to Corrie
Before landing her Coronation Street role, Sydney worked at supermarket Tesco. She recalled to The Sun that she was watching Pitch Perfect 3 with flatmates in Manchester when she got the call offering her the role. “I just ran to the corner of the flat to answer the phone. I said, ‘It’s going to be a no, so keep watching the film’, and then my agent said, ‘Go hand in your notice’,” she said. “I was doing six days at Tesco, so it’s quite the career change. My flatmate picked me up and we just cried. We didn’t finish Pitch Perfect. I could not have asked for a better first opportunity.” She added that her parents are her biggest fans and bought ten copies of her first magazine picture. Sydney had auditioned for two smaller roles before landing Betsy, and the process took two months.
Coronation Street continues weekdays at 8:30pm on ITV and ITVX.
