Beverley Callard has admitted the thought of life without her co-star and best friend Anne Kirkbride was "impossible".
Anne Kirkbride
Anne, 60, played Deirdre Barlow on 'Coronation Street' from 1972 until her death from cancer this year and Beverley, who stars as Liz McDonald, said returning to work two days after Anne passed away was very tough.
She told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "The thought of life without Anne in it was impossible to image. It still felt so unbelievable. Even though Anne had been off work for a couple of months I couldn't believe she was never going to be back there."
Deirdre's departure will be addressed in scenes airing later this month when her on-screen husband Ken Barlow (William Roache, 83) will be told that she has died of a suspected brain aneurysm.
And Beverley, 58, said she didn't need to act to film the sad scenes.
She explained: "There were many, many tears. Some of them were Liz's and some of them were Beverley's which has never happened before.
"Normally I am two very different people. I don't go in for all that method acting stuff and when I take off Liz's big earrings and lycra frocks I'm back to being Beverley.
"But that day both of us were mourning our friend."
Beverley also revealed that she believes her friend knew she was dying.
She said: "Without a shadow of a doubt though she knew what was happening. She wasn't speaking but she was squeezing our hands so tightly that I know she was saying goodbye."
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