Overview
- Sally Ann Matthews, 55, confirmed she quit Coronation Street after deciding the work no longer ‘sparked joy’ as annual contract talks came around.
- She argues recent storylines have drifted from character-led soap drama toward crime and non‑linear plotting, which she says neither she nor viewers she meets want.
- Matthews says cast and crew have shared concerns for years, recalling crowded hospital and police station sets and saying she found herself ‘switching off’ from the show.
- She adds that both she and Jenny Connor ‘needed a break’, calling Jenny’s low‑key departure a natural end after years of intense storylines.
- Following her October exit, Matthews is touring the UK in Here & Now, the official Steps jukebox musical, in the role of Patricia through spring 2026.