21 March 2024 , 05:15
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Julie Goodyear is renowned as the fun-loving former soap star, but her debilitating condition has tragically taken over.
Best known for playing Bet Lynch for 25 years in Coronation Street, the 81-year-old was diagnosed with dementia last year, leaving her and her husband Scott Brand, along with her Corrie co-stars, devastated. The couple are facing a difficult future, as the ex-Rovers barmaid has been receiving medical help.
Announcing the sad news, Scott, whom Julie has been married to for 16 years, said: "My darling wife and I have had to come to terms with this heartbreaking diagnosis," before adding that there is no hope of a reversal in the dire situation, and that her disease will get progressively worse.
Scott, 55, felt compelled to speak out as Julia is often approached by fans, which can lead to her becoming confused. While dementia charities praised the husband for raising awareness of the devastating impact of dementia. "We have taken the decision to publicly announce the diagnosis as Julie still loves visiting friends and eating out," he added.
Julie played Bet Lynch in the iconic soap (Granada Television)
Julie with husband Scott Brand taking part in the Alzheimer's Society Manchester Memory Walk at Heaton Park, Manchester (Thousand Word Media/Antony Thompson)"Inevitably she is recognised, and fans love to meet her - and she them - but she can get confused particularly if she is tired. I hope people will understand." Scott revealed that the once quick-witted actress had started to become confused for some time, which prompted them to seek medical help.
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"Unfortunately, Julie has been suffering forgetfulness for some time and we have been seeking medical advice and assistance, but we now know that there is no hope of a reversal in the situation and her condition will get progressively, and perhaps speedily, worse," he said.
Upon the diagnosis, actor Charlie Lawson, 63, who played opposite Julie as Jim McDonald in the ITV soap, reflected on his fondest memories of the loveable Julie they all adored as he described the news as an "impossible situation for her". The Northern Irish star said: "She was great craic, we did the Rovers scenes on a Thursday and Friday afternoon and I always had real beer under the counter and Julie would pour me a nice pint of the real stuff between takes.
"She was great fun, we had one disagreement and then we never had a cross word in the next 10 years in the 90s. We respected one another. Julie was a queen in very much the sense of the word because in those days, in the 90s when I was there, the ‘celebrity’ was only just being born, there was Kylie and Jason but the top shelves were still ‘you-know-what’ magazines.
"But Julie had been queen of the Rovers for a very long time and was very good at playing the dame."