Coronation Street star given major honour by King Charles in dedication to ‘working class’
Actress Sally Lindsay has responded to her recognition in the King’s New Year Honours list 
Former Coronation Street star Sally Lindsay has dedicated her recognition in the King’s New Year Honours list to her fellow ‘working class’ actors who still make up a small percentage of the industry.
The 52-year-old actress, best known for playing the long-suffering Rovers Return landlady Shelley Unwin on the ITV soap, has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), having been recognised for her services to drama.
The Stockport-born actress began her career in theatre and landed her first TV gig in 2000, appearing in sitcom The Royle Family, before starring in Fat Friends and Phoenix Nights.
She later starred on Corrie from 2001 until 2006, with her character’s biggest storylines including being at the centre of the psychological and physical abuse of her boyfriend, Charlie Stubbs, played by Bill Ward, who she eventually leaves at the alter. The role won her the Inside Soap award for best actress in 2005.
After five years on the cobbles, Lindsay went back to theatre and starred in the 2008 production of Shelagh Delaney’s A Taste Of Honey at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.
Sally during her time in Corrie, where she played Shelley Unwin(Image: Granada Television)
In 2011 she co-created and starred in ITV’s Scott & Bailey, alongside Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp, about two detectives specialising in murder cases at a Manchester police unit. She went on to star in the Sky sitcom Mount Pleasant from 2011 until 2017 before starring in Cold Call, a crime drama about a single mother who becomes a victim of fraud.
She more recently co-created and starred in the Channel 5 drama, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, about a British antiques dealer who solves mysteries in the south of France.
Reacting to her MBE, Sally said: “I am extremely honoured to receive this award for services to drama. Throughout my career I have met incredible people, made life-long friends and worked on many memorable projects.
“I would like to dedicate this award to the rest of the 8% of working class people who make up my industry and hope in the future there will be many more of us. Thank you and may I wish you a very happy New Year.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also said: “Coming from a household of loyal Corrie fans, I was absolutely delighted to hear of Sally Lindsay’s well-deserved honour. With an incredible career spanning Coronation Street, Mount Pleasant, Still Open All Hours and The Madame Blanc Mysteries, she has entertained the nation as an actor, writer, producer and TV personality. Congratulations Sally – a truly deserved recognition.”
Alongside her writing and acting career, Sally is also an ambassador for Demelza Hospice Care, a charity which provides support for children with serious or life-limiting conditions and their families. She has hosted a range of fundraising activities for the charity including raising more than £22,000 after appearing in a celebrity edition of BBC’s The Wall.