'I've Quit Coro!' Why Bev Is Starting Over

MICHELLE GARNETT SITS DOWN WITH THE SOAP STAR TO FIND OUT WHY SHE’S QUIT THE SHOW AND WHAT’S NEXT...

- Michelle Garnett

Normally you curtsy when you’re in the presence of royalty. But soap queen Beverley Callard couldn’t be more down to earth when she sits down to tell her bombshell news − after 30 years playing the feisty Liz McDonald on Coronation Street, she’s passing on her crown.

If you’re picturing her lounging at the poolside with a piña colada in hand for the foreseeable future or joining the comfy slippers brigade, then think again! At the age of 62 and frustrated beyond belief about the lack of decent roles for older actresses, she’s swapping a secure job that she loves for a thrilling new venture that’s set to take her far from the cobbles of Weatherfield.

The seed of her brave, but difficult, decision was planted in August when Bev starred in The Rocky Horror Show.

The following month, after a knockout performance on stage as Roxanne in The Thunder Girls, her mind was made up.

“There’s very little work in our industry for women over 50, but I’m 62 and recently I was doing three jobs at once,” she tells.

“It made me realise how I was privileged to have the opportunity to do so when so many women my age no longer get the chance.

“So although I’ve had to leave the safety net of being in Coronation Street to do this, I’m hoping that ageist bosses, of which there are many, take note of how successful this show is and it starts the ball rolling on helping other women my age get the roles they still deserve.”

She’s still madly in love with husband number four, recording studio boss Jon McEwan who she wed in 2010.

The genuine affection and humour they share is evident as they joke around while the lunch orders are called (grilled halloumi and salad washed down with a strong builder’s tea for Bev, if you’re wondering!)