Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor has spoken warmly about her co-star Sue Devaney, who is set to leave the ITV soap next year. In an exclusive interview with the Liverpool ECHO, Dynevor, who has played Sally Metcalfe since 1986, described Devaney as "an angel" and said working with her has been "wonderful."
A Special Episode on Female Friendships
The comments came after a special episode focused on the women of Weatherfield aired earlier this week. The broadcast saw Debbie Webster, played by Devaney, enlist the help of her closest friends, including Abi, Bernie, Christina, Sally and Glenda, who gathered at Debbie's flat. The group discussed their personal struggles and found comfort in their togetherness, moving many fans to tears.
Dynevor told the ECHO she was "absolutely thrilled" when producer Kate Brooks announced the women-focused episode. "We all get on together, and we're all together in the green room chatting away. We've all got these individual stories as characters. To bring us all together is so clever," she said.
"They're all women of this age, they're going through the menopause and they've each got their own problems, it's good to be able to share them. It shows they are there for one another, especially Debbie with what she is going through which is heartbreaking."
Working with Sue Devaney
Devaney first appeared on the cobbles in June 1984 as a teenager and returned in 2019 as Kevin Webster's younger sister. Earlier this year, Debbie was diagnosed with early onset dementia, and her exit scenes are due to air next year.
Speaking about her colleague, Dynevor said: "I just love Sue. She's an angel, in real life and it's been wonderful working with her. All of us will be there with her till the end. She's just so wonderful to work with."
She added: "It's really strange because we started around the same time. We were the same age, but we've gone through our lives and we've come back together, it's really lovely."
Recent Storylines and Future Plans
Dynevor first appeared on the street in January 1986, when Kevin Webster splashed her with his van while she waited for a bus. Over the years, she has been part of several gripping storylines, including a breast cancer arc that drew parallels with her own experience.
More recently, Sally and her husband Tim Metcalfe, played by Joe Duttine, have become foster parents, welcoming Joanie and Shanice Michaelis into their home after their parents were sent to prison. The couple also took in Lucy Parkinson, the daughter of Tim's cousin Richie, after he was arrested for murdering her mother Rachel.
This has led to more frequent scenes with Amy Robbins, who plays Christina Boyd. It was revealed that Christina is Rachel's biological mother and Lucy's grandmother. Dynevor said of Robbins: "I love her, she's great."
She added: "I really hope Sally and Christina have a rollercoaster relationship in the future, they're friends and then they fall out, because I just love working with her."
Teasing what lies ahead, Dynevor said: "Christmas is very exciting, there's going to be some shocks," though she did not reveal further details. Coronation Street airs weekdays at 8.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
