Emmerdale star Sally Dexter has lifted the lid on her character Faith Dingle’s final storylines as she copes with terminal cancer.
The ITV soap fan favourite has seen her health take a turn in recent weeks after learning the cancer had returned and spread through her body, with Faith's family finally learning the heartbreaking truth.
Actress Sally, who is now set to exit the Dales, has revealed the storyline has been "tough" to film, and that the cast and crew have been a great support.
But she also said her final farewell from Emmerdale will be far from dull, promising her character still has “a few madcap schemes” in store, in an interview with TV Times.
She said of the exit storyline: “I think it is excellent. I haven't read the scripts for her death, but I'm hoping it's as positive as it can be. This isn't just a story about a cancer; it's a wider story about family.
“That great thing about death is the thing that happens before it, that thing called life, and all the love that goes with it. I'd love it if everyone watching had a little bottle of gin, to toast her!”
Sally said that her character’s great-granddaughter Sarah will also help her learn that she can take pleasure in the smaller things in life.
She said: “That's a big learning curve for Faith. She looks at her world in a more appreciative way, and there's one very special moment between her and Cain.”
She continued: “Some of the script reflects how I feel – she's hurtling towards her end and I'm hurtling towards the end of my time in Emmerdale.
“Even though I think it's the right thing, it's quite devastating because I'm going to leave behind people I really care about, like Jeff [Hordley], Lucy [Pargeter] and Natalie [J Robb]. It's extraordinary to be working with them. I don't just mean their acting abilities, but them as human beings.”
In a previous interview with the Mirror, Sally noted that she initially thought the cancer storyline was a “really great idea”, before admitting the reality of the diagnosis and treatment dawned on her.
She said: “This is a serious gig and it's more than a gig because this is really happening to people. You can't just take it lightly.”
She went on, asked if she got emotional during filming: "Hugely, hugely, one of the great things about the crews here and other actors is how supportive they are, I felt very held.
“It's been a great experience in that way, but also you don't forget ever for a moment that you’re doing something that is real and is happening to people. It matters how we portray it."
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV.
