Coronation Street legend dead
A Coronation Street icon has died following a long illness.
Coronation Street legend Lynne Verrall has died at the age of 76.
The actress - who played Geraldine Spellman on the ITV soap in 2017 - passed away in Paris, France, on November 8 after battling a long illness.
On Thursday (27.11.25), her agent Samantha Boyd told industry magazine The Stage: "Lynne was always ready to try any role, to grow and learn and develop. She embraced life to the full."
A French fundraising page has launched in Lynne's honour to fight motor neurone disease - the neurodegenerative disease that the Coronation Street actress suffered from before she died.
It reads: "Our dear friend Lynne faced MND with her trademark wit and courage - and even in the toughest moments, she never lost her spark (or her sense of humour).
"In true Lynne fashion, she even left a gift in her will to ARSLA, the MND association here in Paris, to help others facing this awful illness.
"If you’d like to honour her memory - and give this disease the middle finger (ARSLA’s brilliant campaign slogan!) - you might consider a small donation to support their work.
"I can just imagine Lynne laughing at that and saying, ‘That’s the spirit - don’t make a fuss, but thank you, darling.'"
Lynne was diagnosed with motor neurone disease - which causes progressive muscle weakness - shortly after filming wrapped on the 2023 French comedy–drama Greek Salad.
The late star's lifelong pal Sue Dunderdale - who started up the touring firm Pentabus, which Lynne was an original acting member of, in 1974 - is quoted by The Sun as saying: "She faced it with incredible courage. She was extraordinary.
"She remained in Paris because she’d been happy there. She created this wonderful persona of an eccentric, charming Englishwoman.
"She was a fantastic actor but never got the recognition she deserved."
Lynne was born in Wellington, Shropshire, in March 1949, and her acting career - which spanned over 50 years - began when she trained at Birmingham School of Acting.
After graduating, Lynne toured with the New Shakespeare Company as an understudy for the role of Celia in As You Like It.
She moved to Paris in 2012, and Lynne played an Englishwoman in a handful of French short films.
From June 2017 and March 2018, the late actress played Geraldine Spellman in Coronation Street on an intermittent basis.
