Coronation Street’s Beverley Callard reveals she’s quitting the soap after 30 years as Liz McDonald
CORONATION Street legend Beverley Callard - known for playing feisty barmaid Liz McDonald - is quitting the ITV soap.
The actress, who has been on the show for 30 years, revealed her character would be going out with "one hell of a bang".
Bev, 62, told OK! Magazine her final scenes would air next year, in news set to devastate her loyal fans.
Revealing her reaction after telling bosses of her intention to quit, she added: “I was in shock, I felt totally numb."
She added: “I’ve been told Liz is going to go with one hell of a bang. I cant wait!”
The Leeds-born actress did tell how she had experienced many "sleepless nights" deliberating her decision.
Yet Corrie fans can take some comfort from the fact Liz will remain on screen until summer 2020.
Bev, who joined Corrie in 1989, will leave screens in order to go on tour with comedy play The Thunder Girls.
She plays character Roxanne in the show, which stars four women over the age of 50.
Viewers will miss Liz's bubbly nature and passionate streak on screen, particularly as Steve McDonald's mum has been at the heart of recent storylines.
Steve's dramatic wedding day storyline saw the return of her former husband Jim, played by Charles Lawson, in a pairing loved by Corrie loyals.
Previous hard-hitting plotlines also saw Liz miscarry a baby and suffer domestic abuse at the hands of Jim.
She was also forced to fight back as he attempted to embezzle her life savings.
This month, Bev told how she was desperate to have her TV family reunite on the Corrie cobbles - with her exit plotline perhaps the perfect time for this.
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Meanwhile, Charles also revealed he had been chatting to his much-loved co-star about another comeback storyline.
Beverley said to Daily Star Sunday: "I so wish the producers would get us all back together. I know the fans would love it."
She added: "Charlie came back last year for a brief while, which was fantastic, and we are hoping it will happen again next year."
Beverley added: "Life was never boring for Liz and Jim."
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