Corrie’s Sally Ann Matthews tells Soaplife about Jenny’s new drama in Blackpool, the city where her father Alan was hit and killed by a tram as he chased Rita, the woman he had swindled and ruined...
Why does Jenny go to Blackpool?
“She starts talking to Johnny Connor [Richard Hawley] about her dad’s death and when he hears she’s never actually visited where her dad died, Johnny offers to take her to Blackpool in order to remember her dad and make some new happy memories.”
How grateful is Jenny to have Johnny by her side on the trip?
“Johnny’s been the only person who’s been nice to her. She’s got nobody else apart from Rita [Barbara Knox] and she can hardly take Rita to Blackpool! She’s incredibly grateful to Johnny.”
And she bumps in to the Websters, who are also on a day out…
“It’s a sunny day in May so lots of families are in Blackpool. It is the north’s Riviera so it’s not surprising that their paths cross.”
Then there’s an accident involving a tram…
“Yes. Jenny comes to the rescue with regards to the tram, but that’s all I can say…”
What was it like filming in Blackpool?
“Blackpool was ace, it was brilliant, I loved it. We were lucky with the weather, although it was windy. Everyone was great. I was running up and down the prom from 9.00am til 6.00pm and couldn’t walk for the next two days!”
How did you feel about revisiting the past like this?
“I didn’t want it to detract from the original Blackpool storyline because the death of Alan Bradley was such an iconic Corrie moment – I still have people telling me to watch out for trams! But I was thrilled about it and thought it was a nice way of coming full circle.”
And how does Jenny feel about Johnny after their trip?
“Events in Blackpool accelerate their relationship a bit so when they come back she thinks he’s her knight in shining armour. She goes a bit gooey over him and it seems to be mutual.”
Would you like to see Jenny happy or have her go off the rails again?
“A bit of both. I don’t want to see her happy because that’s a bit boring. But you never quite know how she’ll react to any given circumstance. She’s unpredictable, which makes it all far more interesting.”
Coronation Street, ITV
