Coronation Street favourite Liz Dawn dies age 77

The actor, best known for her role as Vera Duckworth, the loud and fiery character on Coronation Street, has died.

Liz Dawn, born as Sylvia Butterfield, was 77.

While she was an argumentative character no-one could argue at how popular her character would become.

https://twitter.com/ITV_CorrieNews/status/912620997668409344

She’d had no formal training when she started on the show in 1974. Back then she played a warehouse packer in Mike Baldwin’s factory but the went on to become a permanent character, and a much loved one at that, from 1979.

Liz Dawn R.I.P pic.twitter.com/QxGWc8X10W

— 🇬🇧📺 Classic British TV 📺🇬🇧 (@Classicbritcom) September 26, 2017

Being diagnosed with emphysema forced her to retire from the show in 2008. In that same year she won the lifetime achievement award at the British Soap Awards.

As well as Coronation Street Dawn played a few other roles short term, including an episode of Open All Hours in 1976, but she made many guest appearances over the years, as herself, including Comic Relief, Man O Man, This Is Your Life, and Blankety Blanks.

Her family released a statement to say she died peacefully in her sleep on Monday night.

They said they were devastated and heartbroken “at the passing of our much-loved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great grandmother, the incredible Liz Dawn. She has been the love, light and inspiration in our lives and we are bereft at her passing.”

Liz Dawn's family say they are “devastated and heartbroken” pic.twitter.com/IYLHYTT6YN

— Channel 5 News (@5_News) September 26, 2017

Her former Coronation Street cast members also released a statement expressing their grief.

Did you ever watch the show Coronation Street?