Coronation Street icon Julie Goodyear’s friend updates fans on her health amid dementia battle

Coronation Street icon Julie Goodyear’s friend has updated fans on the star's health. In June last year a statement was released announcing the actress,82, had been diagnosed with dementia. 

Julie Goodyear is best known for playing the leopard-print loving landlady of the Rovers return Bet Lynch. She arrived on the cobbles in 1966 as a factory worker but was brought back as permanent figure in 1970. Julie left the ITV soap in 1995 after playing the iconic character for over 25 years. 

Speaking on the Coronation Street podcast, Julie’s close friend Mark Llewellin said: “Julie is living a good life, really. She still loves leopard print, I'm pleased to say. I see her at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, and spend a few hours with her and have afternoon tea at her house, which I call leopard print boulevard”.

Mark - who is the partner of Julie’s late co-star Roy Barraclough - explained: “She's good, obviously she has dementia as everybody knows, but it's wrong to say you suffer from dementia, you live with dementia,” he added “It changes what you can do and how you look at life, I think Julie has been very brave and strong about that.”

Julie Goodyear has been married to Scott Brand since 2007. Her husband announced the news of her diagnosis in June 2023 and has since given up his career to become her full time carer. 

Natalie Dixon is NationalWorld’s Lifestyle reporter. If you liked this article and want to read more about soaps, celebrities and lifestyle you can follow Natalie Dixon on X here. 

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