Kevin Webster's clandestine affair with Molly Dobbs in Coronation Street is to take a tragic turn for the worse when Kevin's wife Sally is diagnosed with breast cancer.
Producers at the Weatherfield soap are working hand-in-hand with a panel of breast cancer experts and charities to ensure that Sally's story is portrayed as realistic as possible.
Over the coming months, Kevin (Michael Le Vell) and his mistress Molly (Vicky Binns) continue meeting in secret for steamy sessions at a motel behind their respective partners' backs. However, the pair reach a crossroads in their affair when Molly asks Kevin to make a decision about their potential future together.
Kevin's world comes crashing down around him, though, when Sally - played by 46-year-old Sally Whittaker - breaks the tragic news that she has found a lump on her breast and has been diagnosed with the disease.
Unbeknown to her family, Sally has kept her shock discovery a secret until the doctors informed her of the biopsy results. On hearing the life-changing news, a guilt-ridden Kevin is forced to choose between supporting his wife and family through the turbulent time ahead or continue seeing Molly.
Speaking of the plot, Whittaker said: "I do know women who have suffered or are suffering from breast cancer. For the last year, I have been fundraising for breast cancer charities and am a long-standing patron for The Genesis Appeal. So, when I was told about this storyline I was determined to do it justice for all the women out there who are going through what Sally is."
She continued: "A few years ago, I found a lump and was sent to get it checked out straight away. I was lucky that it proved to be nothing but the time spent waiting to find out the results was agonising."
A Coronation Street spokesperson added: "Breast cancer is a disease which affects so many women and their families. We are keen to ensure that the storyline accurately reflects the many problems and issues faced by breast cancer sufferers."
Sally will receive the devastating news in December.
Producers uncharacteristically took the decision to release story information earlier than usual to enable the show to work openly and closely with its panel of experts.
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