Coronation Street star Sally Whittaker has been speaking of her real-life fight against breast cancer, something her on-screen character also faces.
The 46-year-old, who plays Sally Webster in the ITV soap, was diagnosed with the disease last year as she researched the illness for her TV role.
Despite the blow, the mother-of-three carried on acting and filmed the show's poignant Christmas Day scenes when she told cheating husband Kevin about her news..
She told ITV News about the moment she received her diagnosis in October with her screenwriter husband Tim Dynevor.
Around 8 million viewers tuned in to see her character drop the disease bombshell on Kevin, played by Michael Le Vell.
But while Sally had a successful lumpectomy, she has endured months of radiotherapy.
Miss Whittaker also credited her Coronation Street plot with helping to save her life.
"If I had not been researching this storyline, I may not have discovered the lump in my breast and had it looked at so quickly," she said.
Her hair is staring to grow back, and she is returning to work next month.
