Liz Dawn To Leave

[RitaLittlewood]

From Teletext:

Vera actress to leave Street

A veteran actress in top soap Coronation Street is to leave the programme due to ill health.

Liz Dawn has played Vera Duckworth for 34 years but will exit the show before Christmas - although bosses have not said how they will write her out.

The 68-year-old, who says she has "had the best time of my life" on the show, suffers from the chronic lung disease emphysema and is now too sick to act.

[jez]

Cant say im surprised by this news, it was always a case of when rather than if she would leave. Oh well, another long term character gone.

[RitaLittlewood]

From BBC Online:

Last Updated: Monday, 29 October 2007, 17:22 GMT

Tragic ending for Street's Vera

Vera Duckworth is to be killed off in a tear-jerking Coronation Street storyline to be screened early next year, ITV has announced.

Her departure will be filmed in secret and viewers will not know how she dies until they watch her final episode.

Liz Dawn, 68, who has played Vera for more than three decades, is leaving the soap due to ill-health.

A lifelong smoker, the actress was diagnosed with lung disease emphysema five years ago.

Dawn revealed the disease had taken such a toll that she was barely able to walk across the set and nearly collapsed while at Buckingham Palace to collect her MBE in 2000.

Dramatic finale

The decision to kill off the character was taken after long consultation between producer Steve Frost, executive producer Kieran Roberts and the actress herself.

They all felt it was better to have a dramatic finale rather than compromise the characters of Vera and her husband Jack by having Dawn come back for occasional guest appearances in the future.

"It is going to be very emotional filming Vera's death scenes but I do think it is the right decision for the character," Dawn said.

"Steve Frost and Kieran Roberts were very respectful about how I would feel about Vera dying and we talked about it at length before we made the final decision.

"I have had 33 marvellous years in Coronation Street and will miss everyone very much," she said.

Alternate endings

The soap's producers are so keen to keep Vera's cause of death under wraps that three alternative endings have been written.

Letters have also been sent to newspapers and magazines asking them not to leak any details of what happens to the character.

Producer Steve Frost said: "After discussions with Liz Dawn we have settled on a heart-breaking exit story which will see Vera leave Coronation Street in 2008.

"Liz's contribution to Coronation Street has been quite remarkable.

"She has played Vera, one of the most loved characters on British television, for 33 years and she will be missed enormously, by everyone who works with her on the show and by millions and millions of viewers," he said.

[jez]

What a shame they are killing her off. If Bill is leaving too they could have just had Jack and Vera move away somewhere.

[RitaLittlewood]

Twatty Baker excelled her stupidity on Teletext today saying they'll be off to Blackpool and can make guest appearances. How the hell is she still a soap 'expert'? I noticed she wasn't on the EE special last night.

Patsy

[jez]

lol I read that and wondere what the hell she was on about!

[RitaLittlewood]

You notice it's only ITV which bothers about her? She is such a moron.

Patsy

[beryl]

I am so disappointed that Vera is to be killed off.....she should go out like
a queen ..... not in a casket!!

...........Vera is a leading light of this famous Street,
...........She must remain so even if we cannot meet.

................We loved her thru thick & thru thin,
............. when she was up & when she was down.
............. It was she who gave us a laugh, or near,
...............when it should really have been a tear.


One who will remember her with affection!

[jez]

I was only saying today how much im going to miss Vera when she leaves.