Coronation Street actress, Lynne Verrall, dies after long illness
A United Kingdom (UK) actress, Lynne Verrall, who played the role of Corrie on Coronation Street has died aged 76 after a long illness.
This was disclosed by her agent, Samantha Boyd, in an interview with The Sun.
“It is with great sadness that I can confirm the passing of Lynne Verrall, a long standing client with CAM.
“Lynne was a burst of sunshine in every room, her passion and dedication to the Arts and the world around her was unrelenting.
“Lynne moved to Paris in her 60’s and threw herself into life over there whilst commuting back to the UK to film in various projects, Most recently on screen in the UK as the recurring role of Geraldine in Coronation Street.
“Lynne was diagnosed with MND in 2023 and met her illness as she did her life with determination, resilience, humour and courage.
“She was imbued with a life force that is rare and contagious – the world is a slightly less interesting place now that she has left it,” the agent confirmed.
Verrall’s career in theatre and television began in the 1950s and continued for decades.
She will be recognisable to Corrie fans for the role she played as Geraldine Spellman, a role she took on in 2017. She appeared in 13 episodes across two years and was central to a storyline that shaped what happened next on the show.
Geraldine was the homophobic mother of Drew Spellman, who had cancer.
When Drew learned why he did not have long to live, he chose to leave his adoptive daughter, Summer Spellman, in the care of his ex-partner Billy Mayhew. Summer, played by Harriet Bibby, and Billy, played by Daniel Brocklebank, have remained key characters since.
Along with Corrie, Verrall also worked on EastEnders, Doctors, and Vera. The announcement of her death was made in The Stage, where her agent paid tribute.
Verrall was diagnosed with motor neurone disease after filming Greek Salad in 2023 and died earlier this month.
Her lifelong friend Sue Dunderdale, who toured with her across the UK, spoke about how she handled the diagnosis.
She said: “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.” She said.