Coronation Street fans have shown their support after a cobbles legend revealed a cancer diagnosis
A much-loved Coronation Street star has confirmed she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will require surgery and radiotherapy.
Beverley Callard, 68, became a household name in the 1980s through her role as Liz McDonald on the ITV soap. Liz arrived on the cobbles in 1989 alongside the rest of the McDonald family, including her on-screen son Steve, played by Simon Gregson.
Over three decades, Beverley became a Corrie regular and featured in many major storylines. From fiery feuds to memorable romances, Liz’s time on the show was packed with drama.
In 2019, Beverley saddened fans when she announced she was stepping away from the soap, with the iconic character making her on-screen exit the following year.
What’s more, Beverley recently made a return to the soap world after securing a role in Irish drama Fair City. She plays Lily, the long-lost mother of Gwen.
The actress is currently based in Ireland filming the series and has been keeping fans updated via Instagram. However, this week Beverley shared the upsetting news that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Speaking on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show, Beverley told host Patrick Kielty: “I’d had some tests just before I left the UK and, literally 15 to 20 minutes before my first scene, I was in my dressing room at Fair City getting ready to go on. I was feeling quite nervous and thinking, ‘I hope everybody thinks I’m all right.’”
“And then my consultant called and told me I had to return to the UK. I said, ‘I can’t possibly — I’ve just taken on a new job and I’m due to be away for a month.’ That’s when I was told I had breast cancer.”
She went on to reassure fans about her health, explaining: “I’m fine — I really am. My head was a bit scrambled for the first few days, but it was caught very early, and I know I’m far from alone in this.
“It’s still at an early stage. I’m travelling back to the UK tomorrow for a couple of weeks, where they’ll be checking my lymph nodes and glands.”
“But I need to have an operation and some radiotherapy, and then I’ll be returning to Fair City, so I should be back within a few weeks.”
A clip from Beverley’s interview on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show was later shared on her Instagram page, where fans quickly filled the comments with messages of love and support.
One fan wrote: “I’m so sorry to hear this — sending you lots of love.” Another commented: “Wishing you all the very best, you look amazing.” A third added: “You’re such an inspiration and a fantastic actress — keep fighting.”
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