Coronation Street star Sally Ann Matthews has booked her first role since she left the cobbles in her rearview mirror last year. Matthews exited the role of Jenny last October when the former Rovers landlady opted for a fresh start away from Weatherfield. Now, the former soap star has been announced as part of the cast of the official Steps musical, Here & Now.
The actor takes over the role of Patricia, joining the current cast on the show’s UK and Ireland tour from 23 January.
The jukebox musical from a book by Shaun Kitchener premiered in 2024, giving a look into the “Summer of Love” of a group of down-on-their-luck friends.
Supermarket employee Caz (Lara Denning) is devastated when her husband decides to end their marriage and take away her chance to adopt a baby.
After encouraging her fiends Vel (Jacqui Dubois), Neeta (Rosie Singha) and Robbie (Blake Patrick Anderson) to make some much-needed changes in their lives, Caz realises she has to take her own advice and rebuild her life.
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The cast for the musical featuring Steps’ music is rounded out by River Medway as Jem, Chris Grahamson as Caz’s husband Gareth, Edward Baker-Duly as Max, Ben Darcy as Ben, John Stacey as Lesley and Lauren Woolf as Tracey.
Also starring are Georgia Christofi, Kade Ferraiolo, Albert Green, Harry Jack, Casey Jay, Charlie-Jay Johnson, Rosemary Annabella Nkrumah, Dean Rickards, Markus Södergren, Genevieve Taylor and Jessica Vaux.
The UK and Ireland tour kicks off in Southampton on 20 January, with Matthews taking over from Finty Williams on 23 January. Playing across the UK and Ireland, the show bows out in Canterbury in May.
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Matthews started playing the role of Jenny on Corrie in 1986. After an on-off stint, she returned to Weatherfield in a regular capacity in 2015, with her final episode airing in early October last year.
Weighing in on her exit last year, the actor shut down rumours she’d been given the axe, saying it was a mutual decision with the producers of the soap.
The UK and Ireland tour for Here & Now starts on 20 January. Tickets are available now.
For exclusive soap star interviews, gossip, spoilers and theories every week, don’t miss the Soap Scoop podcast from Inside Soap magazine. This week’s episode features a chat with Coronation Street star Jacob Roberts, who plays Kit Green.