SARAH TO BE SALLY

CORONATION Street star Sarah Lancashire is to play freed cot death solicitor Sally Clark in a drama about her wrongful conviction.

Sarah, who shot to fame as dizzy Rovers barmaid Raquel, is on the verge of signing up to play Sally, who spent three years in jail after being found guilty of killing her two sons.

The pregnant actress is in discussions with ITV to film the role in the autumn. Her baby is due in March.

Sarah, 38, who is married to TV executive Peter Salmon, is thought to be especially suitable for the part because she has two children of her own from a previous marriage.

A production source said: "It is an amazing story of triumph over adversity. Sally's husband Stephen always believed in her and stuck by her through all those terrible years."

Names being touted for the part of Stephen include Our Friends in the North star Mark Strong and Captain Corelli actor David Morrissey.

The drama will be made by Company Pictures, responsible for the recent ITV hit Sons and Lovers in which Sarah starred as matriarch Gertrude Morel.

Sally, 38, and her husband Stephen are aware of the plans but are refusing to have any input. She says she will not speak publicly about the miscarriage of justice until she is "ready", according to friends. One said: "Sally, Stephen and their son are spending time getting to know each other again after all these years and it will be some time before she talks to ITV about this."

After being freed last month Sally, who lives in Wilmslow, Cheshire, with Stephen and their four-year-old son declared: "There are no winners here. We have all lost out."

Stephen had to sell their pounds 300,000 home to pay legal fees and lost a partnership in a Manchester legal practice when he moved south to be near his wife's prison.

Three Appeal Court judges ruled that Sally's conviction was unsafe because key medical evidence was kept secret at her trial.

The couple are considering seeking damages for the ordeal from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

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