Popular actress and comedian Sally Lindsay has been gracing our screens for years in popular shows like ITV’s Coronation Street, Loose Women and Still Open All Hours.
Interestingly, it was Sally’s knack for comedy that catapulted her to fame. After starting as a stand-up comedian post-theatre school, her northern wit and charm caught the eye of Peter Kay, who cast her in Phoenix Nights.
After her success on the comedy series, she bagged the role of Michelle, Twiggy’s girlfriend in the hit show The Royal Family in 2000. However, her major on-screen breakthrough came in 2001 when she joined the iconic cobbles of Coronation Street as Shelley Unwin.
She featured in a whopping 750 episodes and even bagged the Best Actress award at the Inside Soap Awards in 2005 for her role. Post-Corrie, Sally’s career has taken a different turn as she now leads the popular Channel 5 detective series The Madame Blanc Mysteries.
The actress also hosted her own show Posh Weekends, where she stayed at some of the UK’s most luxurious homes. This weekend, Sally will be back on Channel 5 presenting – Sally Lindsay’s 70s Quiz Night, reports Plymouth Live.
Sally is set to take us on a trip down memory lane as she presents a brand new show that’s all about the ’70s. She’ll be joined by team captains John Thomson and Shaparak Khorsandi, as well as a lineup of celeb guests for a nostalgic romp.
Career struggles
Despite her success on screen, Sally’s initial dream was to become a radio journalist. However, her northern accent was seen as a barrier; she was told it was “too northern” to make it in radio.
In an interview with The Express, Sally shared her early career struggles: “I got rejected by all the local radio stations, because they didn’t like northern accents, even though I was in Hull!”
She continued: “I’ve always loved radio journalism, but I used to get comments like, ‘We don’t need a female Terry Christian thanks very much’. It’s unbelievable when you think about it, but it was a different time and place. There were hardly any of us on radio with an accent in the Nineties.”
Pop success
Sally’s talents extend beyond acting and comedy; she’s also been a chart-topping child star. Hailing from Stockport, Greater Manchester, she graced BBC One TV screens for the first time at just seven years old.
She rose to fame with her St Winifred’s School Choir on Top of the Pops, reaching the top spot with their 1980 hit There’s No One Quite Like Grandma.
Marriage to a music legend
Away from the spotlight, Sally shares her life with a fellow celebrity, drummer Steve White, known for his work with Paul Weller and the Style Council.
The couple tied the knot in 2013, surrounded by famous friends like Gok Wan, Alan Carr, Suranne Jones, and Denise Welch, and have been married for over a decade.
Sally and Steve have twin boys, Louie and Victor, and the actress often credits her family with transforming her life, having once thought motherhood would be impossible in the entertainment industry.
Speaking to Prima, Sally said: “Steve and I have been together 20 years and married for 10. Working away a lot is what keeps the spark in our marriage – I genuinely believe that. We always have loads to talk about.
“Steve is the head of music on my shows. He’ll ask me what I want and I’ll come up with the most obscure, ridiculous references, but he’ll know what I mean because he’s my husband.”
She also gushed about her husband: “He has a vast musical knowledge. He’s a brilliant man; he’s lovely and he’s sexy and he’s funny – and a rock star, which helps! He’s also the best dad.”