Vera: My fear for young smokers.
That’s the headline on today’s front page exclusive in the MEN.
Just hours after viewers saw Vera Duckworth die on screen, we reveal how the actress who plays her has spoken about the deadly lung disease which forced her to quit the cobbles.
Liz Dawn talks on TV for the first time about her illness in a moving film to be screened next month.
Five years ago she was diagnosed with chronic emphysema.
Although treatment has slowed the progress of the disease and improved her quality of life, Liz could not guarantee being well enough to continue her role.
“The last five years, my breathing’s not been that good and I’ve thought I’m not going to be able to carry on,” she tells the ITV1 Tonight documentary called Liz Dawn: Fighting For Breath.
“You can’t guarantee signing a year’s contract and being well for a year,” she explains.

THERE will be tears before bedtime tonight as we say farewell to Vera Duckworth.
The death of Jack’s little swamp duck is screened in two poignant Coronation Street episodes.
“She only left a few weeks ago but already I miss walking on set and seeing her there,” says Bill Tarmey, who plays heartbroken Jack.
Liz Dawn, who has starred as Vera for over 33 years, certainly deserves a happy retirement.
There’s a story about the end of an era on Pg 3 of today’s MEN.
The online version – with photo gallery and audio clips – is here.
It follows the Pg 9 feature published on Wednesday – the online version of that is here.

WE’VE seen a lot less of Vicky Binns recently.
There are two main reasons for that:
1) Her Coronation Street character Molly Compton has been largely absent from our screens.
2) Vicky has shed two-and-a-half stone after filming a weight loss DVD.
There’s an interview with Vicky in today’s MEN Style section. The online version is here.
But, as ever, it wasn’t possible to include all of our chat.
For example, did Vicky have to ask Street producer Steve Frost for permission to change the look of baker’s daughter Molly?
“No, Corrie were fine with it. They’ve been really supportive about it all,” replied the Bury actress.

“ROVERS Return To Be Axed.”
That was the crazy front page headline in today’s Daily Star.
It went on to outline a “soap shocker” with Corrie bosses set to call time on Britain’s best loved boozer.
At the heart of this daft story was a claim that the pub is to close its doors in April for a refit “and may never be the same again”.
It went on: “Sources claim it could be shut permanently or be re-opened as a trendy gastro-pub or even a wine bar.”
A “Corrie insider” was then “quoted” as saying: “This news will have Annie Walker, Albert Tatlock and Ena Sharples spinning in their graves.”
The Rovers was also said to be facing a “massive financial crisis” in 2008 which could result in the Weatherfield local “closing its doors for ever”.

SHE’S one of my favourite characters in Coronation Street, and the actress who plays her is always fun to interview.
Factory girl Fiz, played by Jennie McAlpine, is at the centre of Christmas Day drama on the cobbles next week.
And by New Year’s Eve, too much fizz leads to Fiz snogging someone entirely unexpected.
There’s an interview with Jennie in today’s MEN Christmas TV Special, which has kept me extra busy over the last few weeks.
It also features interviews linked to Ballet Shoes, Christmas At The Riviera, The Old Curiosity Shop, Extras and lots more.
The online version of the Corrie feature is here.
Here are a few extracts from the chat with Jennie which we couldn’t squeeze into the TV special.
On the departure this year of screen mum Cilla (Wendi Peters):

CORONATION Street’s new bookies have already made their mark.
The arrival of father and son Harry and Dan Mason opens yet another new era for the bookmakers’ shop across the way from the Rovers.
I’ve often wondered if it’s Weatherfield’s answer to the Bermuda Triangle.
People go in to place a bet and then we don’t see the inside again, or those punters in the background, until years later.
But it must be mainly still in business, with a life of its own unseen by viewers.
How else, for example, would Streetcars co-owner Lloyd (Craig Charles) have run up a £400 debt?
Actors Jack Ellis and Matthew Crompton follow in a long line of Corrie bookies at the “Turf Accountant”.
Their first scenes brought back memories of one of the more recent incumbents – at least one who was visible on screen.
Step forward Eric the bookie, played by Tony Slattery.

SIR Derek Jacobi has never made any secret of his ambition to play a guest role in Coronation Street.
So, naturally, I spoke to him about it again in an interview earlier this week.
He takes the lead in a new ITV1 adaptation of The Old Curiosity Shop, to be screened at Christmas.
Former Corrie star Bradley Walsh co-stars as Mr Liggers.
I asked Sir Derek if he was any closer to achieving his soap ambition.
The scene was a small group interview at ITV Network Centre in London.
He wondered if I was a Coronation Street fan.
As you can hear from the short interview extract below, it appears everyone in the room was.

CORONATION Street is, without doubt, the jewel in ITV’s crown.
So it would do well to treat Britain’s top soap with a bit of respect.
We’ve already discussed here how someone at the network needs to be taken out to the Red Rec and flogged with a copy of the Weatherfield Gazette.
Now some idiot at ITV has decided to further annoy millions of viewers.
Friday’s episode included a tender scene between Gail (Helen Worth) and her troubled son David (Jack P Shepherd).
She asked: “What’s wrong with you David?”
Opening his heart and asking for help, he replied: “I don’t know how to be happy. I don’t know what to do.”
To which Gail said: “I’ll always love you. I’m your mother, I can’t help it.”

A million love songs later, Take That have a starring role in Coronation Street.
Sadly, we don’t get to see the boys in person.
But they do play a crucial part at the start of Corrie’s hour-long wedding special next Wednesday.
You can tell it’s a special because it opens with a sweeping shot to the soundtrack of Take That.
What You Believe In – taken from their 2006 Beautiful World CD – is the song in question.
As the camera swoops down, we see devil boy David (Jack P Shepherd) contemplating life on the morning of his sister’s wedding.
He then switches off his car music player, ending the track.
It’s just one of several magic moments in the special, which confirms Corrie’s current hot streak.

THE chocolate fountain that Sarah wanted was there, along with a nicely iced wedding cake.
Much to discuss at the press launch today of Coronation Street’s wedding of the year.
The hour long special will be screened on October 31 – Hallowe’en.
Will Sarah (Tina O’Brien) finally make Jason (Ryan Thomas) her husband?
Well, you’ll just have to wait and see.
Executive producer Kieran Roberts said: “In my six years of working on the programme, I don’t honestly think we’ve done a more powerful hour of Coronation Street.”
The online version of Friday’s MEN story – including a gallery of pics – is here with a TV feature to follow.