Sally Ann Matthews to star in Here & Now: The Steps Musical Ireland tour

By Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment Reporter

Former Coronation Street actress Sally Ann Matthews will join the cast of Here & Now: The Steps Musical for its Ireland tour this year.

The actress, 55, will be taking over the role of Patricia from Finty Williams later this month, marking her first project since she stepped down from the ITV soap last autumn.

Here & Now: The Steps Musical is based on the songs of chart-topping pop group Steps and follows character Caz and her group of friends on their quest for a summer of love.

Matthews will perform in 15 venues, with shows in York, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Canterbury and Blackpool.

It is her first role since leaving Coronation Street after working on the show for 39 years.

Matthews first appeared on the cobbles as Jenny Bradley in 1986, and had reprised her role on-and-off until her departure in October 2025.

While she is best known as a soap actress, Matthews has also appeared onstage in UK tours of Mum’s The Word, The Business Of Murder, Present Laughter and Killing Time.

She will join The Steps Musical cast members, including West End actresses Lara Denning and Jacqui Dubois, who play Caz and Vel respectively.

The stage musical premiered in November 2024 and its UK tour began in August 2025.

It revolves around the songs of 90s pop superstars Steps, who have had two chart-topping singles in the UK and four number one albums.

The group, who are best known for songs including Tragedy and Stomp, are reportedly one of the UK’s most successful pop groups of all time.

Steps are made up of Lisa Scott-Lee, Claire Richards, Ian “H” Watkins, Faye Tozer and Lee Latchford-Evans.

The band have produced the musical, alongside theatre company ROYO and music producer Pete Waterman.

Matthews will join the tour of Here & Now: The Steps Musical on January 23rd for its performance at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre.

The production will tour until May 16th, 2026.