Who is Sally Dexter? Emmerdale’s Faith Dingle and West End star
FAITH Dingle certainly caused a stir when she arrived back in Emmerdale in 2017.
Actress Sally Dexter is a real favourite with fans - and has also helped raise awareness of cancer on The Real Full Monty. Here's the lowdown...
Who is Sally Dexter?
Sally Dexter is a multi-award winning English actress who attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
She has appeared in plays and musicals in the West End, winning an Olivier Award in 1987 for Most Promising Newcomer for her performance in Dalliance.
The talented star also received an Olivier nomination for her performance in Sam Mendes' 1994 revival of Oliver.
Other stage roles include Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliot The Musical, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth and Regan in King Lear.
Since she has appeared in a number of TV series including The Bill, A Touch of Frost and Poldark.
Who is Sally Dexter's character Faith Dingle?
Back in the 70s, Faith had a fling with Zak Dingle behind her partner Shadrach's back.
She later gave birth to Cain but hid the fact that it was Zak's son.
Faith walked out on her family after giving birth to her daughter Chas four years later.
Chas ended up looking after both her father and brother over the years until his mother reappeared again.
Faith shocked Zak on Cain's 26th birthday by telling him that HE was the dad.
She reappeared on screen in 2017 in a barn and donated £20,000 to a fundraising page for Debbie's daughter Sarah, who is suffering from cancer.
Last year a storyline saw Faith suffer from breast cancer in a poignant scene showing her double mastectomy in the mirror.
More recently Faith left fans howling with laughter after she had a wee in front of her daughter Chas.
And she also had an awkward moment when she and Eric Pollard walked into Butlers Farm only to catch Moira Barton and Cain Dingle getting intimate on the couch.
Who was Sally Dexter's body double during the inspiring mastectomy scene?
Brigitte Cole played the actress' body double in the scene.
Faith's reveal of her double mastectomy scars was a first for a British soap - and Brigitte couldn't be prouder.
CGI technology was used to put Sally's head on her body.
She told the : "I am just happy to be alive.
"I never wanted a breast reconstruction. It would have trivialised the gravity of what happened to me. A breastless woman following two mastectomies – that is who I am now and I am happy with it."
More Emmerdale News
Who previously played Faith Dingle?
In 2000 and 2004, Faith was played by Gillian Jephcott.
After her stint in Emmerdale (then named Emmerdale Farm) she starred in several small roles in Cutting It, Heartbeat and Doctors.
Prior to the ITV soap she starred in Clocking Off and Daddyfox.