Corrie’s Vicky Myers has opened up about her life off screen – from her struggles to make ends meet to her cancer diagnosis that led to taking time away from acting

After a 28-year journey as an actress, often struggling to make ends meet, Coronation Street’s Vicky Myers decided to indulge herself when she secured a permanent role on the cobbles as detective Lisa Swain. However, instead of a lavish holiday or a new car, Vicky’s self-gift was far more practical.

“It’s really boring, but I treated myself to a new vacuum cleaner,” she tells OK! during an exclusive new chat. “People might get a nice bottle of champagne, or go out for a meal, but my old vacuum was driving me mad, so I bought a Henry. “I know what it’s like to struggle with money, so I’m pretty frugal.

You never know when a job is going to come to an end, so I stayed practical. At least my carpets and the inside of my car are clean now – it’s a great piece of equipment, with lots of different nozzles. No-one can tell me I’m not living it up!” While she’ll probably draw the line at vacuuming on New Year’s Eve, Vicky’s approach to the party season is equally as down to earth. “I like to stay in,” she says. “It’s not that I’m a party pooper, but now I’m bit older there’s something about New Year’s Eve that feels like it’s forced fun.”

“I like to have a glass of something and watch the New Year celebrations and fireworks from the warmth and comfort of my front room, rather than be in a drunken haze at 2am trying to get a taxi home.”

Soap opera enthusiasts should brace themselves for high-octane drama over the New Year, as Vicky’s on-screen persona sees her romance with Carla Connor soar to new heights. The two women have been growing closer in recent episodes, and Carla (played by Alison King) thrilled the factory staff by revealing their relationship. Yet, on New Year’s Eve at the Rovers Return, Carla takes things up a notch, declaring her love for Lisa. Vicky explains: “It absolutely floors Lisa,” adding, “She’s just come in from work and goes to the Rovers to ring in the New Year.

“It takes her by surprise and she doesn’t return the sentiment. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel the same way, I just think she’s not quite ready. This is a massive step for her.”

Joining Coronation Street earlier this year after intermittent cameos as DS Swain, the now 48 year old Vicky has risen swiftly through the ranks to become an audience favourite with gripping storylines galore. It’s an impressive transition considering that, back in 2010, following a rocky marriage and a harrowing cancer diagnosis when a malignant melanoma was discovered on her calf, her acting aspirations seemed like distant fantasies.

After undergoing treatment and reconstructive surgery, Vicky was back on the audition circuit. However, by 2013, the constant rejections and the financial strain of being a single mum took their toll, leading her to take a two-year hiatus from acting to work in an office at a casting house. “But I never gave up on my dream of being an actor,” Vicky insists. “There were times when it was really hard and there were days when I said, ‘I just can’t do it, it isn’t practical.’ But I always believed in myself and knew that it would happen one day – I never lost sight of that.”

Growing up in Stockport with her parents Helen and Paul, who managed a local pub, Vicky was enchanted by film from a young age. She reminisces, “I loved Wonder Woman and Flash Gordon – I watched them again and again on VHS,” and shares how she would craft stories for her dolls and escape into fantastical realms. It was Meryl Streep’s performance in Kramer Vs Kramer that cemented her ambition to act.

Despite not knowing where to start, Vicky left school and entered telesales. By 20, she was married with a child, which felt right for her at the time. “It was what I wanted at the time,” she says. “I got engaged at 18 and I knew that I wanted to start a family young, so having Meg when I was 20 seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

“However, Vicky’s desire to become an actress never faded, and with her daughter just four months old, she took a bold step by calling an agency she found in the Yellow Pages. Reflecting on that moment, she says: “I was holding Meg and I thought, ‘What do I say to this girl if she ever says she wants to do something. ‘ You lead by example. I didn’t want her to grow up with me saying, ‘I could have done this, I wish I’d done this.’ How could I tell her to go for something when I’d not done it myself?”

Her determination paid off, and Vicky landed a job as an extra, incredibly finding herself on the set of Coronation Street. She made her first appearance in 1998 as a hospital nurse during the episode where Des Barnes passed away. She went on to play a paramedic in 2007 when a fire erupted at No.4 Coronation Street, and again in 2010 as a driver who was flagged down by Tyrone Dobbs following a car crash.

Vicky’s journey was put on hold due to her cancer diagnosis, but she returned to acting in 2015. Her most recent roles include WPC Sue Neave in The Long Shadow, and a part in the 2018 comedy-drama series Age Before Beauty, where she starred alongside Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley, who has become a close friend. “She was fantastic with me,” Vicky recalls. “She taught me little tricks of the trade and all with the big welcoming arms and cuddles that she’s brilliant at. She’s a massive support and I’m privileged to be in her life.”

Vicky, mother to 28 year old Meghan and current Stockport resident, is currently single and making waves as Coronation Street’s Lisa. Playing her first LGBTQ+ character, Vicky is touched by the audience’s response: “I’ve had so many letters and messages, and people stopping to talk to me to share their stories, which is beautiful,” she admits with a smile. She’s connected deeply with fans and friends alike, revealing, “I’ve spoken to many couples who have been in a similar situation, and a close friend and her wife spoke to me at length.”

On-screen, Vicky’s character’s narrative is drawn from true emotion, not a diversity checklist: “This story wasn’t a tick-box exercise from Coronation Street. These are two women of a certain age, realising they have fallen for each other and coming to terms with that. It shows it can happen at any age and to anybody – love is love.” As Carla’s brother Rob Donovan, imprisoned for murder, re-enters the scene, storylines promise high stakes for Lisa.

While it’s not known what the future holds in the dramatic soap, Vicky prefers living in the moment over making resolutions: “I don’t believe in them,” she declares. “Your life can change at any moment and you don’t need one day to define the rest of your year. My only plan for the New Year is work. I’m incredibly happy and I’d like it to stay that way. It hasn’t been easy, but that was my path and I think that’s what makes me appreciate it all the more. Take those experiences and learn what you can – take the positives from it, not just the negative. The cancer diagnosis was horrible, but it’s important not to trip over something you’ve left behind. Just keep going, keep moving forward.”