Coronation Street star Maureen Lipman revealed she proposed to her husband David Turner on a train and discussed her character’s break from the soap on Alan Titchmarsh’s ITV show.
Coronation Street favourite Maureen Lipman has shared details of a “scary” new project away from the famous cobbles during an appearance on Alan Titchmarsh’s ITV show Love Your Weekend. The actress also spoke candidly about her marriage and the remarkable story behind her proposal.
During their chat, Alan asked Maureen about her long-running role on the much-loved soap, with the star admitting her character has recently taken a step back from the screen.
“You’ve been in it now since 2018, so seven years?” Alan asked.
“Is it seven?” Maureen replied, before adding: “Once you get in there, time just stands still. It’s actually very good for an elderly brain because you have to learn your lines every night and then throw them away, only to learn them all over again.
“You might have six scenes, five scenes, whatever it is, and when you stop doing it — because I’m kind of out now — my character has gone to university to study law, with a special emphasis on canine law. Don’t ask me what that means.”
The conversation then turned to Maureen’s recent marriage, with Alan offering his congratulations to the soap legend. Maureen tied the knot with businessman David Turner in the summer of 2025.
Recalling how their relationship began, the Evelyn Plummer star said: “We used to joke about it, really, but our ages together added up to 158. David had lost his wife, and I had lost my partner during COVID. Then this man comes along and asks me out on a date.
“We went for a walk in Hertfordshire, and he always says he fell in love with me when I came out of the toilet,” she laughed.
She went on to explain how the proposal happened, adding: “We were on a train coming back from Edinburgh, and he told me it was a special day in the Jewish calendar — a bit like Valentine’s Day.
“It’s apparently a day when women can ask men to marry them, and as a comedian, I couldn’t let that pass. I slid under the table on the train and asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ He said, ‘Are you serious?’ and I replied, ‘Yeah, go on then.’”The conversation then turned to Maureen’s recent marriage, with Alan offering his congratulations to the soap legend. Maureen tied the knot with businessman David Turner in the summer of 2025.
Recalling how their relationship began, the Evelyn Plummer star said: “We used to joke about it, really, but our ages together added up to 158. David had lost his wife, and I had lost my partner during COVID. Then this man comes along and asks me out on a date.
“We went for a walk in Hertfordshire, and he always says he fell in love with me when I came out of the toilet,” she laughed.
She went on to explain how the proposal happened, adding: “We were on a train coming back from Edinburgh, and he told me it was a special day in the Jewish calendar — a bit like Valentine’s Day.
“It’s apparently a day when women can ask men to marry them, and as a comedian, I couldn’t let that pass. I slid under the table on the train and asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ He said, ‘Are you serious?’ and I replied, ‘Yeah, go on then.’”
Alan then asked Maureen about her upcoming role in the comedy play Allegra. Explaining the premise, she said: “The play feels very relevant to our times. It’s about a woman who is a bit dotty but relentlessly happy. She goes into places, sings and entertains, but nobody wants her there. People try to make her miserable, like everyone else — and when they finally succeed, they don’t like her that way either.”
Maureen also revealed she will be touring with the production, admitting: “Now that I’ve finally got myself nicely settled, I’m reluctant to go on tour — but you have to.”
When asked whether touring felt like a daunting and exhausting prospect, she replied honestly: “It is tiring at this stage of life. But look at Anne Reid — she was out there performing at night. She’s the most ambitious actress I’ve ever met, in a good way.”
Reflecting more broadly, Maureen added: “Every day brings some kind of surprise. It’s a difficult world to live in at the moment if you’re of my persuasion, and sticking your head above the parapet isn’t fun — it’s scary.”
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