Vera is Leaving Corrie

[Nurse Dunkley]

From DigitalSpy:

Veteran Coronation Street actress Liz Dawn has stepped down from her role as the iconic Vera Duckworth due to ill health.

Liz – who has played her Weatherfield character for 34 years – took the decision to quit the ITV soap for health reasons as she suffers from chronic lung disease, emphysema.

The News of The World quotes the 68-year-old actress as saying her time with the show has been the best of her life.

Corrie's Executive Producer Kieran Roberts told the newspaper: "After 34 years as Vera, Liz has taken a decision to relax and enjoy her retirement.

"We're currently devising storylines for her character's departure from Weatherfield but we would prefer not to reveal details at this moment. We're indebted to her for all she has achieved during her years as Vera Duckworth.

"She is a star and is loved by ITV. We will always miss this wonderful lady and first-rate actress and we are delighted that she's agreed to return to the soap in the future."

Despite her decision to quit, her on-screen husband, Bill Tarmey (Jack Duckworth), is sticking with the soap.

A Street source told the tabloid: "Liz has helped turn Jack and Vera into the best-loved comedy double act in soap since Stan and Hilda Ogden. She has made Vera Duckworth a legend of the small screen.

"Bill's been floored by Liz's decision. He's always believed that they were a package and would go together. He's hardly a spring chicken himself but has decided to carry on, though he realises that losing Vera will be like losing a limb for Jack.

"If you could bottle the magic that Liz has brought to the Street it would be a rare commodity."

They added: "She can't get her breath a lot of the time and can't walk very far. The crew try to limit the time she has to spend on her feet."

Liz is due to remain filming at Manchester's Granada Studios until late October, early November, while her character will bow out of the show before Christmas.

This is the latest key cast blow for Corrie bosses: Sean Gallagher (Paul Connor) quit earlier this year after only five months, while Kate Ford and Bill Ward both bid farewell to the Cobbles at the culmination of Tracy Barlow's murderous revenge against Charlie Stubbs.

Bruce Jones also quit in May, following a suspension totalling 10 weeks over allegations by a Sunday newspaper that he made inappropriate comments in a public place.

Meanwhile Wendi Peters (Cilla Battersby-Brown), Tina O'Brien (Sarah Platt), Samantha Seager (Jodie Morton), Rupert Hill (Jamie Baldwin) and Jenny Platt (Violet Wilson) will all leave within the next seven months.

Bradley Walsh, however, will return to the Cobbles as Danny Baldwin "at the back end of this year".

It's quite sad, though not surprising since all her storylines recently have been ones designed so she could stay sat on the sofa.

I love the way the article lists all the great characters who are off, before saying that bradley Walsh will be back - a bit like being told your whole family have been wiped out in a house fire, 'but your goldfish survived'.

[jetsetwilly]

I couldn't concentrate on the news that Vera is leaving because it says The Lovely Violet is also to leave. Heart is well and truly broken.

[pauliepoos]

A while ago there was a story on DigitalSpy about the lack of work offers, bar Panto that Tina O'Brian had received since announcing she was quitting.

Then there was a story a month or so ago that said she would be prepared to do full frontal nudity, should the part require it.

I hope they give Vera a happy ending.

[coxy1979]

Can I smell a Xmas death for Vera?

[Smudge]

I will cry whatever happens. Although knowing Corrie, they will probably send her to space on some sort of pensioner/gravity research programme or something. Fuck it, I'd cry at that too.

[Adrian]

I would love it to be a happy ending, but how could they do that with Jack staying on?

One thing Corrie does well is death - Alma and Mike Baldwin being case in point (although Fred Eliott wasn't a good death)

And I respect it when a soap has a character who is old die... because that's what happens to old people, really.

EDIT:

The BBC report:

Producers would not say how Ms Dawn is to be written out of her £200,000 role, but said she would continue to make guest appearances on the show.

So Vera dying seems unlikely.

A

[Nick]

Unless she comes back as a GHOST! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[jetsetwilly]

adrian said:

The BBC report:

Producers would not say how Ms Dawn is to be written out of her £200,000 role, but said she would continue to make guest appearances on the show.

So Vera dying seems unlikely.

A

Perhaps her illnesses develop, and she has to be admitted to some sort of care home for long term attention? She could therefore return in a wheelchair for Tyrone and Molly's wedding, for example.

[David]

As much as we love Vera, what the bloody 'ell is going on with Violet? Since when has she been leaving?

[Steven]

I could've sworn I've seen numerous quotes from Liz Dawn and Bill Tarmey saying that they had a deal that if one of them wanted to leave, they'd both go, because they didn't think Jack and Vera would ever split up. Hmm. So much for that, then.

As for Violet, I thought that was common knowledge - it was announced months ago, wasn't it?

[FeelsLikeKellyCrabtree]

Poor Vi. They've given her absolutley nothing to work with for almost two years now. She's capable of so much more than the piss poor scripts and storylines that they have chucked her way. No wonder she's decided to do one.

From what I've heard Jack is going to stay on as a semi regular character and Vera is going to make guest appearances, much like the actress who played Phyllis Pearce did towards the end of her life.

[[james]]

pauliepoos said:

I hope they give Vera a happy ending.

I'm not sure I want to see Vera recieve a massage from a prostitute.

[Steven]

I wouldn't have a problem with the massage, but I'd be interested to see how they'd manage the subsequent hand-job.