Join the Club! Get all the gossip on fashion and beauty and never miss out on top stories again We have more newsletters Join the Club! Get all the gossip on fashion and beauty and never miss out on top stories again We have more newsletters Coronation Street's Maureen Lipman has opened up about the challenges of working on the soap, as she gears up for a break from the show. The 78 year old actress first graced the cobbles 22 years ago as the posh landlady Lillian Spencer, hired at the Rovers Return by Fred Elliott (portrayed by John Savident). In 2018, she made a comeback to the cast, this time as Evelyn Plummer, the long-lost grandmother of Tyrone Dobbs (played by Alan Halsall).
When asked about her experience in Coronation Street since her return in a recent interview, Maureen admitted "it's a tough job", claiming there is now barely any time to rehearse scenes. She revealed: "It didn't use to be like that. Coronation Street used to have a fully planned-out run by producers but now you're in and out.
I mean, it sorts the weak from the strong, because you've got to be able to do that. It's pretty scary when you start but it's fine, it's good for you. As a young actor, you've got to be on fire and as a writer, you've got to be pretty quick off the mark, and sometimes it could be better.
She shared to Best Magazine that while she's close with co-stars like David Neilson (Roy Cropper), Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs), and Jennie McAlpine (Fiz Brown), their social interactions are.