Sally Ann Matthews (born 19 September 1970) is an English actress. She is known for playing the roles of Jenny Bradley in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street and Sandra Briggs in Emmerdale.
Career Matthews was born in Oldham, Lancashire. She played Jenny Bradley, the daughter of the villainous Alan Bradley (Mark Eden) in Coronation Street from 1986 to 1991, making a brief return in 1993. She returned to Coronation Street as Jenny in February 2015.
In 2005 Matthews joined the cast of Emmerdale as farmer's wife Sandra Briggs, but left less than a year later. In an interview with Inside Soap, the show's executive producer, Kathleen Beedles, admitted casting Matthews, well-known to soap fans from Coronation Street, in what would essentially become a minor role was a mistake. She also confirmed she would like Matthews to return to the show in some capacity in the future.
Personal life In a one-off documentary Coronation Street's DNA Secrets in September 2018, Matthews found out that fellow Coronation Street actress Amanda Barrie, who played Alma Baldwin (nee Halliwell) (1981–1982, 1988–2001), is her cousin.
Matthews' brother Tim was a contestant on a 2025 Birmingham episode of Channel 4's Come Dine with Me, revealing his famous sister to his dinner guests.https://www.channel4.com/programmes/come-dine-with-me/on-demand/75520-027
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1986–1991, 1993, 2015–2025 Coronation Street Jenny Bradley Cast regular, 800+ episodes (to date) Longlisted—2015 Inside Soap Award for Best Bad GirlLonglisted—2016 Inside Soap Award for Best Bad GirlLonglisted—2019 National Television Award for Serial Drama PerformanceLonglisted—2019 British Soap Award for Best Actress 1991 The Grove Family Pat Television film 1993 Stay Lucky Star Nurse Episode: "Gilding the Lily" 1995–2007 Heartbeat Paula Recurring, 3 episodes1996 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Tracey Episode: "Widdershins" Brassed Off Waitress Feature film 1997 Common As Muck Claire Episode #2.4 1997, 2003 The Bill Anjie (1997); Karen (2003) 2 episodes 1997 Wing and a Prayer Maria Capstan Episode: "The Greater Good"2000 City Central Brenda Episode: "Respect" Dalziel and Pascoe TV Presenter Episode: "Foreign Bodies" Cameo 2000, 2008, 2010, 2011 Doctors Jenny Carpenter (2000); Shelley Cooper (2008); Louisa Cole (2010); Cheryl Goldsack (2011) 4 episodes2002 Clocking Off Female Detective Episode: "Gary's Story" Where the Heart Is Claire Finlay Episode: "Hold My Hand" Sparkhouse Posh Woman Episode #1.1 2004 The Courtroom Anne Wilson Episode: "Mother Love" 2005, 2006 The Catherine Tate Show Ginger Refuge Boss (2005); Rita (2006) 2 episodes 2005–2006 Emmerdale Sandra Briggs Cast regular, 35 episodes 2007 Waterloo Road Alison Lawson Episode #3.10 2008 The Royal Ellen Dannini Episode: "To Love and to Lose" 2010 Being Human Orla Episode: "In the Morning"2012 Prisoners' Wives Janet Episode #1.3 Song for Marion Playground Monitor Feature Film2013 My Mad Fat Diary Kester's Wife Episode: "Don't Ever Tell Anybody Anything" The Mimic Clara Episode #1.52014 4 O'Clock Club Miss Aine O'Brien Recurring, 10 episodes (series 3) Murdered by My Boyfriend Neighbour Television film 2018 Chapter 1: LivOlivia's MumShort film 2020 Chapter 2: Zach
Theatre Judy (Lead), Framed, the Mill at Sonning, Ian Masters Alison, Mum's The Word, UK Tour, Andrew Lynford Dee, The Business of Murder, UK Tour, Ian Masters Jean Perkins, Funny Money, UK Tour, Giles Watling Annie, Table Manners, UK Tour, Ian Dickens Joanna Lyppiat, Present Laughter, UK Tour, Ian Dickens Jane, Killing Time, UK Tour, Ian Dickens Mrs Grose, Turn of the Screw, UK Tour, Ian Dickens Suzette, Don't Dress for Dinner, UK Tour, Ian Dickens Mary Magdalene/Singer, The Passion/Doomsday, Northern Broadsides, Barrie Rutter Lady Montague, Romeo & Juliet, Northern Broadsides, Barrie Rutter Octavia, Antony & Cleopatra, Northern Broadsides, Barrie Rutter Michele Gray, Blood Sweat and Tears, Hull Truck, Zoe Seaton Vicki, My Fat Friend, Oldham, Kenneth Alan Taylor Stephanie/Stella Turner, Feed, Bill Kenwright Ltd, Kenneth Alan Taylor Sarah Harding, The Accrington Pals, Bolton Octagon, Sue Sutton Mayo Raissa, The Suicide, Bolton Octagon, Lawrence Till Daisy Hannigan, Biloxi Blues, Manchester Library Theatre, David Fleashman Patricia, Here & Now: The Steps Musical, UK tour, Rachel Kavanaugh
Radio Iris/Octavia, Antony & Cleopatra (2 years), BBC Radio 4, Kate Rowland Toni, Carr Lane Carters, BBC Radio 4 Nurse Jameson, MY DAD'S A BORING NERD, BBC Radio 4, Martin Jameson
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