Beverley is not impressed with current Corrie (Picture: ITV)
She is known by millions as the iconic landlady Liz McDonald, and it was an experience that she loved, but Beverley Callard is not holding back when it comes to current Coronation Street.
It’s fair to say that the show has dramatically changed since she joined, and, in a new interview, the actress has revealed why she stepped back from the role after so many years.
She starred in the soap from 1989 and 2020, with only a few stints away in that time.
Storylines included a number of passionate affairs and a turbulent and often aggressive relationship with husband Jim.
In 2019, Beverley confirmed her exit, which would be her final outing as Liz, but the pandemic put paid to her filming final scenes.
She was due to return for a stint later, but the last we have heard from Liz is that she now lives in Spain, and Beverley has closed the door on the role for good, confirming the end of the chapter previously.
In a new chat, she told podcast How to be 60, that the scripts and the storylines were not the same as she previously loved.
It’s fair to say there will be no more pints pulled by Liz (Picture: ITV)
‘I just felt that the scripts weren’t what they used to be. I’m trying to be diplomatic. I wasn’t miserable, it’s difficult to put into words,’ she mused.
‘But years ago, we used to get the script and you’d think “Oh my God, this is amazing, I cannot believe I’m going to be filming this!” but for me it got to, well, they didn’t write for me as much because I was older and that really got to me.
‘If you’re there, you want to be busy. There’s nothing worse than being bored. And I would open the script and think “Well we filmed that three years ago” and it wasn’t very exciting.’
In the last few years, Corrie has focused on a number of issue based stories including hate crime, suicide, coercive control and consent.
It’s this type of narrative that now switches Beverley off.
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‘The Street was originally very character-driven and story-driven and I think with a lot of television and film now it’s very issue-led. And I hate that.
‘The Street was so much better when it was proper kitchen sink drama and about people.’
The star insists that she adored playing Liz, but there are clearly no regrets about leaving.
She added: ‘I felt it was time for me to go because it didn’t give me the buzz I’d always had. I loved my time there and I’ve got the dearest friends there.
‘I will never retire but now I have the choice, which is great. The day I handed my notice in I was thinking if I was doing the right thing, but now I know I did do the right thing. Completely liberating and I’m much more relaxed as a person.
‘I don’t have to get dressed up or put a face full of makeup on to go to the supermarket. I don’t care anymore. If I’d taken Liz’s clothes, I’d have set fire to them!’
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The Liz McDonald icon is not holding back.