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POUNDINGPAVEMENTSFORCHARITY
‘I’MRAISING
FEMINISTS’
ACTRESS SALLYLINDSAY TELLSOK!ABOUTBRINGINGUPTWO
BOYSANDRASINGMONEYFORACAUSECLOSETOHERHEART
A
ctress Sally Lindsay has been open
about the heartbreak that led her
to become an ambassador for the
Alzheimer’s Society. The 46 year old
lost her beloved gran to the disease when
Sally was just 18.
This year she’ll once again be joining
thousands of others affected by dementia
on one of the charity’s Memory Walks,
which take place up and down the country
throughout September and October. And,
like always, her family will be in tow. ‘We
have photos of us on the walks all around
the house,’ she tells us.
Sally lives in south east London with
her husband, drummer Steve White, and
their twins Victor and Louie, eight. But the
Manchester-born star says: ‘I’m up north
all the time. The kids are very close to their
cousins up there and I want them to have
two communities. In Manchester they’ve got
a fantastic, mental family who adore them.’
When we call the down-to-earth star for a
catch-up, she’s rushing about packing for a
holiday after a late night of filming, but is more
than happy to take a break for a chinwag.
Here, the former Coronation Street
actress opens up to OK! about Alzheimer’s
awareness, working with legends and why
her heart will always be in telly...
Will we see you on the Queens Of
The Street special for Corrie’s 60th
anniversary next year?
Yes! I rang some of the girls doing it and
asked them: ‘What do you think?’ and they
were like: ‘Why not?’ It was an amazing time.
When will we see you back on our
TV screens?
I’ve filmed a four-part drama for Channel 5
called Cold Call, which airs in November. It’s
very dark and gritty, which was a challenge
because I’m more known for comedy.
I’m also writing something that’s near
commission. I did a film last year called Pond
Life, which was fantastic, but
my heart is in telly. It brings
families together.
What do your eight-year-
old sons make of your job?
It’s normal for them. In fact,
they did a take with me
yesterday as the drama I
was auditioning for featured
a young boy. My agent was
like: ‘That’s handy!’ The only
problem is now they think
they’re in it and want to
know when they’re starting!
Have they shown any acting ambitions?
On my last day of Still Open All Hours I took
them around Pinewood and Louie decided
he wants to be an actor, but they’re still
only eight. Steve and I don’t push them in
any way – we just want them to be happy in
whatever they do.As a mum to boys, what do you hope
to teach them
growing up?
They’re very
aware of the fact
their mum has
always worked
for a living, so I
suppose I’m raising
feminists. When I
did a documentary
about Emmeline
Pankhurst, they
kept asking me
why women didn’t
have the vote. It’s
the same with the
LGBTQ+ community –
they’ve only been to one
straight wedding, so they
don’t know any different!So we imagine you’re a
pretty equal household?
Yeah, Steve does most of
the cooking. He’s better at
it – and he’s interested. I’m
a good cook thanks to my
mum and grandma, but if
somebody starts talking
to me about a recipe I just
glaze over.You’re speaking at this
year’s Women Of The
Year awards. Who were
your female role models growing up?
Of course my mum and my gran, but
also actresses like Julie
Walters, Victoria Wood
and French and Saunders,
these amazing icons on
TV who showed me: ‘I can
do that.’ I know Dawn
now and I still pinch
myself that I actually
know Dawn French!Are you looking forward
to the Memory Walk?
Yes, it’s a lovely day –
quite emotional but fun,
too. It’s a way people canfeel like they’re doing something for the
person who’s poorly or who they’ve lost.
I always take Steve and the kids along.Have you seen developments in
Alzheimer’s care since you’ve been
working with the charity?
Phenomenal amounts. When my gran was
diagnosed 30 years ago, there was no
support. It was just seen
as old age. Now you can
pick up the phone or go
to one of the cafés or
join the walks. There’s so
much more awareness,
which is thanks to
people like Dame
Barbara Windsor coming
out and saying this is a
disease. It’s still tragic,
but at least we’re doing
something about it.You’ve said in the past
you’re worried about
developing dementia
yourself – are there any
steps you can take to
help prevent it?
I just never want to stop
working or stop thinking- but neither did my
gran. She was massively
active and used to
walk for miles and had
millions of mates. I keep
active and healthy but
that’s for everything.
Touch wood, none of
my aunties or my mum
have got it and would’ve
had it by now if they
were like the generation
before them.
Aside from training for the Memory Walk,
do you exercise?
If I’m filming 12 hours a day then you can’t
do anything, but I’ll try to walk and use
public transport if I’m in London. We walk
everywhere in my family, that’s our thing.
I also do Pilates every week. My back was
out of place when I had the twins because
I was so big and Pilates totally got rid of my
backache. It’s a miracle!
EVERY PENNY RAISED THROUGH MEMORY WALK WILL HELP
ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY FIND A CURE, IMPROVE CARE AND
SUPPORT PEOPLE AFFECTED BY DEMENTIA – REGISTER NOW
AT MEMORYWALK.ORG.UK.INTERVIEW BY ANNA BAILEY
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK?
OK!Sally is
walking for
her granSally and her
husband Steve with
their twin boysAs Coronation
Street’s
Shelley Unwin