A CORONATION Street legend took a brutal swipe at the soap ahead of their sabbatical.
The star will depart the cobbles towards the end of the year to take up another job – but they won’t be gone for good.
Dame Maureen Lipman joined the soap’s cast in 2018 as Evelyn Plummer, the newly discovered biological grandmother to Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall).
Having first told Tyrone that his mum – her daughter Cassie (Claire Sweeney) – died of a heroin overdose, a twist revealed her to be alive and she now lives in Coronation Street.
It has been revealed that Dame Maureen is starring in Richmond Theatre’s panto Beauty and the Beast later this year.
As a result, the actress will take a sabbatical from the ITV soap.
A show spokeswoman said: “Dame Maureen is taking a sabbatical from Coronation Street towards the end of the year.
“We look forward to seeing her back on the cobbles in 2025.”
This is not the first time that Dame Maureen has taken a break, having previously done so on multiple occasions.
Meanwhile, the actress told Best magazine: “I think it’s a tough job because there’s no time to rehearse.
“It didn’t use to be like that. [Maureen also appeared on the soap in 2002].
“Coronation Street used to have a fully planned-out run by producers, but now you’re in and you’re 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.”
Before landing her role as Evelyn, Dame Maureen graced the cobbles almost two decades earlier.
She portrayed snooty pub landlady Lillian Spencer for about six episodes in 2002.
Corrie has said goodbye to several cast members this year. Let's break down who's left the famous soap:
Eliza Woodrow (Savannah Kunyo) has said farewell to Corrie to start a new life in Germany.
The youngster moved to live with her dad Dom Everett, who went back on the £10,000 bribe Eliza’s grandfather Stu had offered to keep him out of her life.
Paul Foreman will bow out of the soap this summer when he loses his fight with motor neurone disease (MND) in tragic scenes.
After being diagnosed last year, the fan favourite, portrayed by Peter Ash, was devastated to learn he only had months left to live.
Viewers know he is planning to take his own life to end his suffering.
Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) departed the cobbles after being offered the opportunity of a lifetime to study in America.
Though she struggled to decide with her stepdad Paul’s impending death from MND, she was convinced she had to live her life to the full.
Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) has struggled with the sudden departure of his father Peter from the cobbles.
The Weatherfield legend left his family and loved ones behind on Boxing Day, 2023, when his wife Carla Connor encouraged him to travel around the world with a friend.
Simon’s been on a downward spiral ever since and his exit could end in tragedy.
Alya Nazir is set to leave the cobbles as actress Sair Khan prepares to go on maternity leave ahead of the birth of her first child.
It looks likely she’ll be heading to Dublin after securing a lucrative new job, leaving her colleague and fling Adam Barlow behind.
Show stalwart Eileen Grimshaw is taking a break to star in the Sister Act The Musical UK tour.
She’s had to leave the Street immediately after her son Jason broke his back after falling off a moped in Asia. She will be back filming in May once her dates on the tour come to an end.
Coincidentally, Dame Maureen’s late husband Jack Rosenthal was a playwright with almost 130 Corrie episodes to his name.
Altogether, he worked on the beloved soap from 1961 to 1969.
Time will tell what is coming up in Evelyn Plummer’s future.
Coronation Street airs on ITV and is available on ITVX.
