Coronation Street’s Katie McGlynn has said she wanted her character Sinead Osbourne to die because “life isn’t a fairytale”.
Sinead will lose her battle with cervical cancer in heartbreaking scenes airing this week.
McGlynn told BBC Radio 5 Live podcast You, Me And The Big C it was vital that the storyline was realistic.
She said: “I kind of shot myself in the foot, because I protested against her surviving.
“I wanted her to die and I know that sounds really sadistic and awful but I wanted a big impact.
“I wanted a big bang and I wanted to rub it in people’s faces, yes it does happen, life isn’t a fairytale – people die.”
McGlynn went on: “I’m sick of TV shows, not necessarily soaps, but people are just acting like ‘Oh it’s a happy ending’.
“Life’s not a happy ending.
“I know it can be and you can get over it, but tragedy does happen and I just wanted to showcase that and try and raise awareness for it, I guess.
“I’m not Mother Teresa, so I wanted a big impact for it.”
McGlynn’s fellow Coronation Street actress Sally Dynevor was fdiagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago, and told the You Me And The Big C team that she has not been able to watch Sinead’s story unfold.
“I can’t watch it,” she said.
“I think they’re doing a brilliant job don’t get me wrong.
“It’s so brilliant it makes me not want to watch it.
“But only because it’s self preservation, you know.
“I don’t need to keep going there. “
You, Me And The Big C’s full interview about the Coronation Street storyline is on BBC Sounds now.