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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Kate Lally

Coronation Street Molly star's unusual lockdown job and new Black Mirror role

Coronation Street residents and fans alike said an emotional goodbye to Molly Dobbs some 13 years ago, in iconic scenes that unfolded after a tram fell from the viaduct.

The street's most explosive episode ever aired live to commemorate 50 years of Corrie back in 2010. Other fan favourites killed in the crash included Ashley Peacock.

During her time on the cobbles, Molly was married to Tyrone Dobbs and began a secret affair with his best friend, Kevin Webster. She became pregnant with his baby, Jack, whom Tyrone initially believed to be his.

READ MORE: Coronation Street's Daisy Midgeley announces plans to quit Weatherfield

Many Corrie fans may be wondering what happened to Molly Dobbs actress Vicky Binns since her dramatic soap exit. And the star has actually undergone a drastic career change, before recently returning to acting.

Long before Vicky arrived in Weatherfield, the actress was already a familiar face on our TV screens in a popular children's programme. At the age of 17, she landed her debut TV role in Children's Ward as Natasha, starring in multiple episodes from 1998-1999.

From there it was onwards and upwards, with Vicky going on to land roles in series including Casualty, Crime Stories, The Mill, Moving On, and Doctors. Eagle-eyed soap fans might also recognise Vicky Binns from another popular ITV soap, Emmerdale.

After leaving Children's Ward, Vicky played Olivia 'Ollie' Reynolds in Emmerdale for over four years between 1999-2003. Vicky's stint on the soap wasn't without its drama, with Ollie getting involved in huge storylines including accidentally sending Mandy Dingle to jail, learning about her father Sean Reynold's affair with Lady Tara Oakwell and the death of her mother in a car crash.

Vicky Binns as Ollie with her Emmerdale family (ITV)

The character also had a brief relationship with Emmerdale fan favourite Cain Dingle in one soap storyline too. That's not all, as her father Sean Reynolds was played by none other than Call The Midwife Dr Turner star Stephen McGann.

However after a dramatic few years, Ollie left Emmerdale to study at University, and actress Vicky Dobbs went on to land her iconic Coronation Street role.

Vicky revealed that she turned to teaching after her acting roles began to dry up due to the pandemic. She had been due to appear in a theatre production in 2020, but the theatre was forced to close as lockdown measures were brought into place.

Speaking about her career u-turn, Vicky revealed to Scarborough News that she had worked in a primary school during the pandemic, but was keen to get back to acting after pursuing the career since she was a child. And she's done just that.

Vicky stars in the latest series of Black Mirror on Netflix. The actress plays Julie the barmaid in episode Demon 79, which follows a shy sales assistant who must commit terrible acts to prevent Armageddon.

Vicky tends to keep her personal life private, and despite her character having tied the knot with Tyrone Dobbs in Coronation Street back in the day, the star has admitted that she may "never get wed".

She made the candid confession during an interview with The People, saying that her on-screen soap wedding made her think it was "so much faff".

She said: "I just wanted to go to the toilet on my own without having people to help me with the dress. It's tainted me."

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