Emmerdale favourite Sally Dexter has revealed that she pitched a very different and dramatic storyline for her character, Faith Dingle’s death.
Sally has been at the forefront of an emotional Emmerdale storyline which saw Faith receive the devastating news that her cancer had returned and it was now terminal.
Following the diagnosis, Faith made the difficult decision to stop her chemotherapy treatment, wanting to enjoy the time she has left without suffering from the side effects.
The Dingle family, especially her children, Chas (Lucy Pargeter) and Cain (Jeff Hordley) have been reeling from the fact that Faith’s life will end sooner than expected.
A recent episode saw Cain finally make peace with his mum after years of him refusing to forgive her for his complicated upbringing.
Now, as the residents come to terms with Faith’s diagnosis, Sally has been reflecting on her time on the soap and revealed that she even suggested an alternative storyline for Faith’s death.
Talking to the Mirror, she said: "I liked the thought of her saving her children, Cain and Chas, and one idea I had was to have a gunman burst into the pub and for Faith to save them all."
Despite her dramatic pitch, Emmerdale producers decided to go with a more moving exit for the soap matriarch.
She added: "The producers quite rightly came up with a much more sensible and interesting idea of using her breast cancer and for it to turn secondary. People go through this daily and I think it’s important for viewers to know they are not alone."
The much-loved soap star also told What To Watch about her hopes and wishes for when Faith reaches her final moments.
She told us: “I want all of the Dingles to be there, and I’d love for Cain or Chas to help her put some lippy on — I don’t want her to go without a bit of lippy on! If the hair isn’t quite right, she can stick on a fascinator!”
And looking ahead to Faith’s send-off, she added: “I haven’t suggested this to anyone, but I’d love it at her funeral if she could somehow, in a ghostly fashion, fly up and join in with some wonderful wild dancing, and you see her floating about, having a whale of a time.
“I’d like her to be able to give some comfort to her family after her death.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30 pm on ITV, with a hour-long episode on Thursdays — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on ITV Hub.
