Coronation Street actress Lynne Verrall has passed away at the age of 76.
The actress, who had a long-spanning career across theatre and TV for over 50 years, was best known for playing Geraldine Spellman, the mother of Drew Spellman (Tom Godwin) on Coronation Street in 2017.
On Thursday, November 27, the Daily Mail reported that Verrall, who had motor neurone disease, passed away in Paris on November 8.
She was diagnosed with MND shortly after filming her 2023 comedy-drama Greek Salad.
"Lynne was always ready to try any role, to grow and learn and develop," her agent, Samantha Boyd, told The Stage. "She embraced life to the full."
An MND fundraising page has also been set up in her memory, which 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," the statement shared, as it urged people to make a small donation to support the fight against the disease.
Verrall had been living in Paris since 2012 and appeared in several short films as a sophisticated English woman.
Her friend Sue Dunderdale told The Stage, "She faced [MND] 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."
The actress trained at Birmingham School of Acting before then embarking on a theatre career, touring with the New Shakespeare Company and Pentabus.
Lynne Verrall then went on to have roles on TV in the 1970s and 1980s, including Bill Brand and Hard Cases.
