Vera Duckworth returns to Coronation Street

Fear not Corrie isn’t going all American soap opera by bringing back a deceased character out of the grave. However Liz Dawn is to reprise her role as Vera for a charity special. Also former ATV star Timothy West is to join the saga.

The festive two-part special of Coronation Street forms part of ITV’s Text Santa charity appeal and will air on Friday 21st December from 8.00pm.

“Actress Liz Dawn returns to the cobbles, to join cast including Malcolm Hebden as a scrooge-like Norris Cole, who is visited by Vera’s festive ghost. Will Vera help Norris see the error of his ways?” ITV’s Coronation Street website asks.

Vera died in the show back in 2008, making a one-off re-appearance as a ‘vision’ to husband Jack on the night he died two years ago. Other ‘departed’ characters are also set to return, but we’ll leave those as a surprise…
In other Coronation Street news actor Timothy West is to join the saga, newspaper The Sun reports, as carpet salesman Eric – the new boyfriend of Gloria Price. Gloria is played by former Brookside favourite Sue Johnston.

West became a household name in the 1970s when he played the lead role in ATV Network’s Edward The Seventh which was broadcast on ITV. The programme was voted Best Drama series of 1975 by BAFTA.

For more information about Text Santa, visit the official site at itv.com/textsanta