Former Coronation Street star takes the mick out of Eurovision in new stage show

Apr 13 2008 Laura Davidson

As a little girl she longed to be like bubble-permed Cheryl Baker, bopping about in a thigh-high ra-ra skirt to Bucks Fizz's Making Your Mind Up.

Former Coronation Street star Sally Lindsay admits it's a little too late for her Eurovision dream to come true.

But the actress - who played Rovers barmaid Shelley Unwin - reckons it's probably just as well as she didn't have the legs for it anyway.

At least she gets to tickle the underbelly of the camp song contest in her new stage show, which hits Scotland next week.

Eurobeat is a mickey-take musical based on Eurovision. The audience get to watch 12 typically abysmal but hilarious acts then vote for their favourite on their mobile phones.

The winner is dictated by audience votes and changes every night.

Sally oversees the whole thing as Bosnian host Boyka, a presenter who is more wooden than Peter Andre playing Pinocchio.

Sally said: "Eurovision is such a guilty pleasure - it's just nonsense really, isn't it? Sometimes the songs are so bad I can't even sit through it but I love it all the same.

"When I first started acting about 10 years ago and toured a lot with theatre, every year, no matter where we were, I made sure the cast had a Eurovision party and we all dressed up as someone from a particular country.

"When I got the script for Eurobeat I was crying with laughter. I just had to do it."

Sally thinks there is a saucy side to her presenter character Boyka, a glamourpuss who is hilariously billed as a former Olympic polevaulting champion turned TV presenter.

She laughed: "I reckon she has a bit of a porn past has our Boyka. She's a bit saucy.

"She has to wear this skin-tight black glitzy dress. It's not brilliant on me to be honest, very knockery, but it reminds me of the old slapper bird in Dirty Dancing who was trying to get off with all the dancers.

"Her make-up is a bit Princess Diana circa 1992 - all blue eyeshadow and pink lipstick.

"It reminds me of an exchange trip I took to Russia when I was at school. I couldn't get away with the dire make-up worn by all Russian women. They were stuck in the 60s with massive eyeliner and that was in 1985.

"I reckon they'll just have caught up with the early 90s by now and that's what Boyka would be like."

Scots comedian Craig Hill is co-host Sergei, a Serbian kids' TV presenter who makes Graham Norton look butch.

The comedy pairing brings light relief for Sally, 35, who went through the mill as Corrie's abused barmaid Shelley.

Sally could have had her pick of roles when she left the soap two years ago but stayed away from telly for a year to avoid being typecast.

A big pal of comedians Peter Kay - who took on a hilarious guest role in Corrie as one of Shelley's suitors - and Alan Carr, Sally has also done stand-up and was desperate to get back to her comedy roots.

She plays it for laughs by being immortalised in plasticene as Piella Bakewell, Wallace's new love interest in the latest Wallace and Gromit adventure, A Matter Of Loaf And Death. Animator Nick Park heard Sally's voice as she guested on Mark Radcliffe's Radio 2 show and said he immediately knew she was the one for the role.

Sally said: "I was dead flattered. It was so funny because I got the call to do it while doing Shakespeare on a hill in Stratford. I thought it was a wind-up.

"When I went in for the audition, I saw a picture of Piella and laughed out loud - she's brilliant. She's a real Diana Dors type, I'm over the moon about it."

Sally has also done a pilot for ITV called 'Til We Die, about London-based Manchester City fans who travel up north for games. Next up is Scallywagga, a new BBC3 sketch show.

Sally said: "It's me and six or seven young comedians. I play the mum and teacher roles, which is depressing but hilarious. It's so dark, like early Fast Show."

Despite being so busy, Sally still has more spare time than when she was on Corrie.

She and musician partner Steve White, 42 - Paul Weller's drummer - have been together almost five years and Sally loves being able to spend more time with him and his two kids, Cristabelle, 11, and Curtis, 14, splitting their time between homes in Manchester and London.

She said: "I did see my life passing in front of me. We have the children about 50 per cent of the time and we wanted more family time. We've got that now and it's fantastic.

"I like being a stepmum. We get on really well and they're such lovely kids. Curtis is so bright and Cristabelle's gorgeous - she's obsessed with clothes and make-up."

Sally appreciates having a partner in showbiz who understands her hectic schedule.

She said: "When I was single I wondered if I'd ever find anyone who did get it and Steve does.

We completely understand each other.

"I'm sure we will get married at some point, when we've got a minute. But it's another thing that just takes loads of time. We're having our kitchen done at the minute and that's more important - that's terrible, isn't it?

"We should start thinking about kids as well and I'm sure we will but I'm so busy at the moment. I'm happy with work. I feel like I'm living the life of Riley, I really do."

Eurobeat is at the King's Theatre in Glasgow from April 22-26, call 0870 060 6648 for tickets.

It's also playing at Edinburgh's Festival Theatre from June 2-7 (call 0131 529 6000 for tickets) and His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen from August 18-23 (call 01224 641 122 for tickets

"I'm like the old slapper in Dirty Dancing who tries to get off with the dancers