Latest news with #DameMaureenLipman
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Coronation Street star 'set to return to soap within weeks as she makes shock U-turn on plans to take a break'
A Coronation Street star is reportedly set to make a dramatic return to the cobbles in just a few weeks - despite having previously announced she was taking a break. Dame Maureen Lipman, 79, beloved by fans for her role as straight-talking Evelyn Plummer, has apparently made a U-turn on her decision to step back from the long-running ITV soap. In July last year, it was reported that the actress would be taking 'an extended break' from Corrie, with her character Evelyn written out of the show as she left Weatherfield to study law at university at the age of 78. Now, a source has told The Sun that Evelyn is set to make a return to Coronation Street, and fans won't have long to wait. An insider said: 'As Evelyn went off to uni, it makes sense for her to pop back in from time to time.' MailOnline has contacted ITV and Dame Maureen's representative for comment. The veteran actress made her official on-screen exit in January after regular appearances on the soap since 2018. However, she had hinted that her time in Weatherfield wasn't over just yet. Appearing on ITV's Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, she admitted: 'Yes, I have been signed up to do another year. 'It's good for you, it keeps you on your metal, my goodness me. I mean everything is still completely fascinating to me.' Despite confirming her extended contract, she also revealed in December that she would be 'absent for a while' but promised a comeback. Speaking to The Sun at the time, she explained her character isn't going to die, but she will be in and out of the show because she 'wants to have a bit of a life'. However, Dame Maureen also took a subtle swipe at the show's current direction, calling on producers to return to more classic storytelling. On the Beyond The Title podcast, she said: 'We've come to a point in Corrie now where people are getting murdered in knicker factories. Now, a source has told The Sun that Evelyn is set to make a return to Coronation Street, saying: 'As Evelyn went off to uni, it makes sense for her to pop back in from time to time' (pictured 2024) 'We're having domestic abuse. Anything that ticks the box of social problems in the 21st century is going to be in your local soap. 'Whereas back then you had the freedom to put Martha [Longhurst], Minnie [Caldwell] and Ena [Sharples] in the snug and have a conversation about Ben-Hur. 'It's never been political but I always like it when the women sit down and go, "Ooh, Donald Trump, ain't his hair shocking." She added: 'All those wonderful expressions that your parents come out with. 'Like my mother saying, "Ooh, doesn't a black skirt cover a multitude of sins." People talk like that, and we recognise it as true.' Coronation Street continues on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
The Sun
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Coronation Street star returns to soap in WEEKS as she makes U-turn on plans to ‘take a break'
A STAR of Coronation Street will make a huge return to the soap in just weeks. The actress has seemingly made a U-turn on her plans to 'take a break' from the long-running ITV serial drama. 7 Dame Maureen Lipman, 79, is beloved amongst soap enthusiasts for her role as Evelyn Plummer, grandmother of Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall). In July last year, it was reported that the veteran actress was set to take an 'extended break' from Coronation Street. At the time, her character was written out as she decided to embark on a new career and study law at University as a spokesperson confirmed she decided to take a sabbatical. As such, she moved away from the cobbles to concentrate as she sought out accommodation in university halls of residence at the age of 78. Now a source has told The Sun that Evelyn will be back in Weatherfield, and fans only have a short time to wait. An insider told us: 'As Evelyn went off to uni, it makes sense for her to pop back in from time to time." Fans saw her official exit storyline play out on-screen back in January after regular appearances on the show since 2018. But during a TV appearance with Alan Titchmarsh, Dame Maureen also confirmed that she was not entirely done with the soap. Appearing on Love Your Weekend, she admitted: "Yes, I have been signed up to do another year." "It's good for you, it keeps you on your metal, my goodness me. I mean everything is still completely fascinating to me." However, in December last year, she told The Sun: "I'll be absent for a while, and then coming back. "I'm not going to die but then I'll be in and out of it because I want to have a bit of a life. 'David and I are thinking of having a bit of a gap year.' However, Dame Maureen also appeared to take a swipe at bosses, as she urged producers to take a 'back to basics' approach with storylines. Speaking on the Beyond The Title podcast, she remarked: "We've come to a point in Corrie now where people are getting murdered in knicker factories. "We're having domestic abuse. Anything that ticks the box of social problems in the 21st century is going to be in your local soap. "Whereas back then you had the freedom to put Martha [Longhurst], Minnie [Caldwell] and Ena [Sharples] in the snug and have a conversation about Ben-Hur. "It's never been political but I always like it when the women sit down and go, 'Ooh, Donald Trump, ain't his hair shocking.'" I'll be absent for a while, and then coming back. I'm not going to die but then I'll be in and out of it because I want to have a bit of a life. Dame Maureen LipmanThe Sun She added: "All those wonderful expressions that your parents come out with. "Like my mother saying, 'Ooh, doesn't a black skirt cover a multitude of sins.' People talk like that, and we recognise it as true." 7 7 7 7 7
