Coronation Street star Sally Carman has exclusively revealed her candid thoughts about watching her real-life husband Joe Duttine kiss other women on the set of the long-running ITV soap. The 44-year-old actress, who portrays Abi Franklin on the cobbles, met her now-husband Joe Duttine, 55, on the Coronation Street set back in 2018.
From Co-Stars to Spouses
After a series of secret dates, the couple moved in together before eventually tying the knot in 2022. Remarkably, they continue to work alongside each other on the iconic Manchester-based soap, though their characters have never shared romantic scenes. Instead, Joe's on-screen wife is played by veteran actress Sally Dynevor, who recently celebrated forty years on the world's longest-running soap opera.
The Awkward Reality of On-Screen Romance
When questioned about whether she minds watching her husband kiss other women for television, Sally Carman offered a surprisingly pragmatic response. "She's helping me out," she told The Mirror exclusively, referring to Sally Dynevor. "It's one less thing I have to do. That sounds awful, doesn't it?"
She quickly clarified her position, explaining the unglamorous reality of filming intimate scenes. "I love kissing my husband," she insisted. "Honestly, when you're filming kissing scenes, it's twenty-five sweaty men around you, burping and all that. You have the lights on you, tight time schedules—it's the least sexy thing ever. You can kiss whoever you need to; it's fine."
Working With Your Spouse: A Professional Challenge
Opening up about the experience of working alongside her real-life husband, Sally Carman didn't mince words. "It's awful," she declared. "I don't recommend it." The primary issue, she revealed, is their shared sense of humor, which frequently disrupts professional proceedings.
"I give him a wide berth because he makes me laugh," she explained. "Once I've gone, there's no getting it back—and there's tears, so it's makeup retouching. I'm like, to myself, 'Get it together,' which makes it worse. He does it on purpose, so then I'm fuming with him!"
Abi Franklin's Turbulent Journey
Meanwhile, Sally Carman's character Abi Franklin has endured significant turmoil recently. A former drug addict whose son Seb was murdered in a brutal hate crime attack, Abi gave up her youngest two children for adoption following an overdose. After rebuilding her life, she appeared to find stability with Weatherfield mechanic Kevin Webster, played by Michael Le Vell.
However, following Seb's death, she cheated on Kevin with lawyer Imran Habeeb, resulting in her fourth child, Alfie. Kevin eventually forgave her, and Alfie joined their family alongside Kevin's older son Jack. Yet more drama unfolded when Abi embarked on a passionate affair with Kevin's brother Carl, only to discover he had cheated on her with James Bailey and planned to flee with stolen money.
Recent episodes revealed that Debbie, who recently took responsibility for a fatal car crash to protect Carl, is actually his biological mother. With Debbie now imprisoned, only she and Carl know this truth.
What Lies Ahead for Abi Franklin?
When asked about future storylines for her character, Sally Carman remained uncertain. "She's alright," she remarked. "I think she's okay now after Carl. But I genuinely don't know what they've got planned in the script. I don't know if Abi and Kevin will get back together."
She expressed affection for her co-star Michael Le Vell, stating, "I love working with Michael Le Vell and I miss him, so as long as we'll still have some scenes together, I'll be okay. She's got a little flat, but who knows who she'll end up with. We've been discussing it at work and there seems no one obvious at the moment."
