Sally Dexter has confirmed how her final scenes will play out next week in Emmerdale and it's set to be a tearjerker. The actress is set to bow out of the ITV soap in emotional scenes after returning as Faith Dingle 2017.
Fans have been left gutted by Sally's impending exit as the Dingle matriarch after she was given the devastating news her cancer was back and that it was terminal. She has since endeavoured to make the most of the time she has left with no treatment. But in recent weeks her health has taken a downward turn and next week, she decides to take her own life.
It comes weeks after Faith accidentally revealed to daughter-in-law Moira Dingle her plans as her cancer continued to progress. Later, in heartbreaking scenes, Moira tearfully agreed to go through with Faith's request for her to be with her at the end, but not help assist her death.
"Faith is and has always been a lover of life but to exist in mental torment and physical pain with absolutely no choice or control over that existence- is simply unacceptable to her," Sally said as she discussed her character's final choice. "She decides shewould rather die. But she’s scared, the thought of ‘going alone’ is very frightening. To be able to have someone she cares about holding her hand, would be the simple human comfort she would need to go in peace."
Speaking about the decision to involve Moira, Sally added: "We all thought it a vitally important point of view for Emmerdale to air, seeing as many people would agree with Moira. At the outset of telling this story we agreed all sides of this debate needed to be heard and respected.
But before the devastating moment she takes her life into her own hands, her family pull out all the stops to bring the beach to the village after their strip to the seaside falls through due to Faith's ill health. Emmerdale viewers will see her thrilled to bits and as Faith takes everything in, she watches her family revel in the fun.
And there are even more surprises when Diane Sugden arrives back in the Yorkshire Dales. Faith squeals with happiness and Chas and Rodney exchange a glance in an obvious job well done. Then, when he Cain asks her to dance, Faith is blissfully happy.
With the day over, Faith holds a family picture against her heart utterly content but Moira's left unsettled by Faith’s hints that she might end her life soon. Meanwhile, Brenda, Pollard and Diane vow to create as many memories with Faith as they can.
But before long Moira is back desperately trying to convince Faith to back out of her plan to end her own life. And while Faith assures her she isn’t going ahead with it anytime soon, but a guilty look belies a different story and before long Faith is saying her veiled goodbyes.
"As I’ve said Faith is/was a great lover of LIFE," Sally said. "Before taking her leave of it, she wants to celebrate it with all the people she loves and she decides that replicating a truly happy holiday at the seaside when Cain and Chas were children would be the perfect way to do it! But Faith has another fall and ‘the children’ realise she’s too weak to travel. So with typical Dingle ingenuity, they decide to bring the Seaside to HER!!!"
The soap star added: "We filmed this over a few days up at the Dingle Homestead, on a week we were told was about to turn cold and rainy. The brilliant costume team were ready with the thermals and the hand warmers. The fabulous Cheryl and her make up team were poised with powder and hairspray to keep us in shape.
"Then the sun came out and the whole thing sprang into joyous life. We all knew we’d be emptying sand out of our shoes for the next week or so, but it didn’t stop us having a ball. We really enjoyed ourselves. This is the scene where Faith realised she couldn’t be happier- and she determines to carry out her plan the very next day. To go out on a ‘high’!"
Alone in her bedroom, Faith switches off her phone and takes one last look at the pictures from yesterday’s adventure as she prepares to end her days alone. Cain arrives and on realising what Faith has done, devastated, he tries to keep her comfortable as she drifts closer to death. When Cain realises Faith has taken her final breath he is heartbroken and Faith’s family and friends are left devastated by the news of her death.
Speaking about filming the end of her time at Emmerdale and Faith's death, Sally shared: "I found it really quite poignant to film, I knew it meant Faith's time in Emmerdale was up, and so was mine… I have enjoyed being back. I will miss the laughter, the fabulous Yorkshire countryside and the skill, talent and dedication of the whole team of people I respect, admire and have huge affection for.
"I’m hugely sad that Faith can’t return. If you spot me on the street you might recognise me wearing a few items!" But Sally did have a different idea about how she should have left the soap. "I always knew Faith was coming back to die," she said.
"My idea was to have her save Cain and Chas from some sort of attack in the Woolie - say from a bullet or a knife aimed at her children from a crazed intruder. I could picture her sliding down the side of the bar, with Cain and Chas declaring her a heroine. But the story Jane (Hudson) and the team wanted was a far more important and difficult one to tell. I only hope we have done as much justice as we could."
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