Coronation Street actress Sally Ann Matthews has broken her silence on her emotional exit from the ITV soap, sharing a heartfelt tribute to the set after her character Jenny Connor departed the cobbles.
Matthews first appeared as Jenny in 1986, when she was just 16, playing the daughter of villain Alan Bradley. After five years, she left the show, returning briefly in 1993 before making a permanent comeback in 2015.
The actress announced her departure in August, writing on Instagram: 'I was supposed to stay for five months but ended up doing an extra ten years because I loved it so much!'
In her final episode, Jenny decided to start a new life in Tenerife after a heartfelt conversation with Rita Tanner, who handed her an envelope of cash for a one-way flight, telling her it was time to start liking herself again. The pair shared an emotional farewell outside the Rovers Return, before Jenny took one last look at the pub she once ran.
Following the episode, Matthews posted a picture of the Rovers Return sign now hanging above her own door, along with a heart emoji. Her former co-stars were quick to reply, with Georgia Taylor, Sally Carman-Duttine and Samia Longchambon among those sending their love.
