Sally Lindsay says she would be "dead now" if she had to film 18 scenes in a day - as she used to on 'Coronation Street'.

Sally Lindsay

Sally Lindsay

The 45-year-old star played Shelley Unwin from 2001 to 2006 but now feels as though her time on the cobbles was "like living another life", and she has praised the ITV soap as a great "northern powerhouse training ground".

She said: "'Coronation Street' is a northern powerhouse training ground, if you take it as it is and you learn from it.

"I remember doing 18 scenes in one day - I'd be dead now. I'll never have a character as deep as that. It was like living another life."

Sally worked with several soap legends such as Betty Driver - who plays Betty Turpin on the show - and says starring alongside the Betty's Hot Pot cook was part of the "magic of 'Coronation Street'".

The 'Mount Pleasant' star said: "She could waltz in at midday, put her glasses on and steal the scene. Her comic timing was sublime."

Despite leaving 'Corrie' 13 years ago, Sally insists she will never forget the show, and the same goes for her good friend and fellow former cobbles favourite Suranne Jones (Karen McDonald).

She added to The Guardian newspaper: "Whatever I do, I'll always be that girl from 'Corrie' - same for Suranne.

"It bugs you for the first few years, then you start to feel nostalgic. It was a great job. I nailed it. I don't think I'd be where I am without it.

"It's something to be proud of, it really is."