I’m Dame for a laugh

Another honour for Maureen Lipman on Queen’s birthday

CORONATION Street star Maureen Lipman is tipped to be on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list as a new dame.

The 74- year- old, who was made a CBE in 1999, will reportedly be recognised for services to charity and the arts following her 50-year career in TV and film.

Speaking in August, she said: “It’s very hard to distinguish between wanting a job and wanting to show off. I don’t know the difference, I never have.”

Maureen made an early appearance in 1968 film Up The Junction and starred in several sitcoms in the 1970s.

She was also Beatrice “Beattie” Bellman in a series of much-loved BT adverts in the 1980s.

She played the title character’s mother in Oscar-winning 2002 Holocaust drama The Pianist.

When she joined Corrie as Evelyn Plummer in 2018, she said it felt like “coming ng home”. But she was amused d to win an award at the Inside Soap awards last year, , saying: “To be nominated as Best Newcomer after 52 years in the business is... just extraordinary.” ry.”

Former Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry ry is also due to appear on the list. st. This year’s AWARD Maureen Lipman is said to be a “bumper” bum list of honours recipients, rec which will include medics, fundraisers and volunteers teers involved in the response to Covid Covid-19. The list was co compiled before the pande pandemic but postponed in order o to include the frontline w workers. Recipients will be officially o recognised tomorrow.