Behind Jenny Connor’s touching farewell scene, behind-the-scenes Coronation Street is a real drama.

After Sally Ann Matthews’ final episode aired, social media was flooded with rumors that the actress was “cut” by ITV for daring to speak out about the financial issues and working conditions of the cast.

Matthews’ “hidden” tweets caused a stir among fans: she once mentioned “artists being underpaid” and “some people at the top forget why audiences still love this street”.

Immediately after, the British media simultaneously reported that she was “suddenly eliminated”.

However, Sally spoke out to refute, affirming that leaving was a mutual decision, and the final scene was changed to “end beautifully, not bitterly”.

She said in the interview: “I wasn’t fired. I chose to leave – and I want Jenny to leave with dignity.” That message has made fans admire, and the crew quietly re-edited the scene to honor the role she has been attached to for nearly two decades.

However, the “fire” behind the scenes has not been extinguished. Some people think that ITV changed the scene at the last minute to suppress the scandal, avoiding the impression that Jenny was “cruelly punished”. Many former actors of the show such as Antony Cotton or Barbara Knox also posted posts implying that “silence has its price”.

The truth is still unclear. But one thing is certain: Jenny Connor – although a fictional character – left Coronation Street with many layers of emotions: regret, anger, but also very real. And Sally Ann Matthews – the person behind that character – is remembered by the audience as one of the rare “female warriors who dare to speak, dare to live truthfully” in the British soap industry.