Truth about Coronation Street star Sally Ann Matthews’ secret exit from the soap after 39 years
The actress made her debut in 1986 and has been one the main characters in Corrie over the last decade
CORONATION Street star Sally Ann Matthews’ final episode aired today – but it was a distinctly lowkey affair.
While many soap stars bow out in explosions and long-running dramatic storylines, her character Jenny Connor’s end to her time on the cobbles was as far away from that as you can imagine.
Viewers watched as in the space of one episode, Jenny decided to move to Tenerife, packed her bags and left after a heart-to-heart with Rita Tanner.
The Sun exclusively revealed earlier this year how actress Sally had been axed from the soap, almost 40 years after making her debut as the daughter of legendary cobbles villain Alan Bradley.
But after hitting headlines for all the wrong reasons with her late-night Instagram posts with barbs at ITV’s cash crisis – many had expected Jenny to be killed off.
Instead she left the cobbles tonight with very little fanfare – just a touching goodbye to the Rovers and to her foster mum Rita.
The pair reminisced about old times on the cobbles with mentions of Bet Lynch and Jenny going back to her maiden name of Bradley – which was her final credit on the show too.
And The Sun can reveal that the decision for that was down to Sally Ann’s wishes to bow out quietly.
“She didn’t want to make a big deal of it,” a source said.
“She didn’t want a big leaving party nor did she want to do anything that would be a sensationalist exit. It was all kept very low key as per her wishes.
“Being associated with the soap for nearly 40 years, it was always going to sting to be axed but her exit was poignant and as close to classic Corrie as you can get.
“What’s essentially a two hander with Barbara was the perfect send off for Jenny and it was fitting she went back to being Bradley before she left.”
The decision appears to have gone down well with fans – even if it left them in tears.
One said: “Wasn’t expecting to be crying into my cornflakes this morning watching Jenny’s exit.
“Didn’t even realise she was off quite so soon! I actually thought it was quite a fitting exit for her, considering the way things have ended up on the street for her character.”
A second said: “As rushed as it was, I almost had a tear in my eye at the final Jenny and Rita scenes.
“It’s a rarity that Corrie makes me feel any emotion these days but those scenes were beautifully played.”
Another added: “Gutted! What a final ep for Jenny.
“It feels like the end of an era with her and Rita too, that mother/daughter duo was brilliant. They didn’t always see eye to eye, but in the end they left things on such good terms. #Corrie”