‘Liz is the eternal optimist - I’m a worrier!’
Soap legend Beverley Callard, 61, has played the role of Liz McDonald in
Coronation Street for 29 years. Here, she tells
best about surviving clinical depression and why she owes everything to her husband, Jon.
There was speculation recently that you might be leaving Corrie…
Yes, that was weird! I’m doing The Rocky Horror Show on stage in Manchester for a few weeks and, when it was announced, I think people thought I was about to leave Corrie! But I’m definitely not. I do like going back to theatre from time to time, and this show is only on for a short run, so I’ve been able to do both. [Bev plays the Narrator in the show at Manchester Opera House, ending on 26 January.]
You’ve played Liz McDonald since 1989, but you don’t like watching yourself on TV, do you?
Oh, I hate it. I used to watch myself in the early days, because it does help you learn your trade. Nowadays, I love watching the other soaps – I think they’re great – but I can’t bear to watch myself in Corrie. I’m a bit of a worrier, really.
How do you feel about Liz – is she like you?
No, she’s not like me at all. Liz is the eternal optimist, I think! She’s been battered, physically and emotionally, but she always bounces back. I love the way the writers keep on making Liz the way she is – and that’s why I will stay on the show. She’s one feisty female, but I’m not keen on her dress sense – she always gets that so wrong. I’m very different. Outside work, I like to relax by painting and decorating and doing DIY – Liz would never do that.
You had some meaty storylines over Christmas. Is it true that your screen ex-husband Jim [played by Charlie Lawson] is coming back this year?
I hope so. He returned briefly in 2018 and caused havoc. The actors are usually the last people to know what’s going on, but I think the audience love to see Liz and Jim together. I think Jim’s still in love with Liz.
You were very close to the late Anne Kirkbride, who played Deirdre Barlow…
Yes, we were very close. I still have a photo in my dressing room of the two of us. Her name is still on the door, too. I can honestly say that I miss her every single day. She created an iconic character, and also she was the ultimate professional. Anne basically trained me in the art of Coronation Street. I loved her, on-screen and off.
You’ve been very open in the past about suffering from depression – are you in a happier place now?
Yes, I am doing really well
at the moment. I still take medication but I feel much happier. I’ve learned to cope with it and manage my life better. I’m a workaholic and I’m not very good at stopping – I have to force myself to stop working. I always say to anyone going through depression that you will get better, but only if you get the right help.
How supportive was your husband, Jon, during your lowest points?
He was amazing, still is. He’s a very wise person and I don’t know where he gets it from, but he can read me so well. He’s not just my husband, he’s my best friend – I wouldn’t have got through it without him.
You still practise as a fitness instructor. Did that help you during the dark times as well?
During the darkest days, I just couldn’t do it. Once you’re back on the road to recovery, though, I think mindfulness and physical fitness can help, but I stress – you really do need the medical help, too.
You’re an ambassador for mental health charity Mind. What needs to change in how we embrace mental health issues?
I think we are now definitely chipping away at the stigma. But we have to be careful that mental illness doesn’t become like a Gucci handbag. There is a danger that it can become ‘fashionable’. Having a down day doesn’t necessarily mean you’re suffering from clinical depression. Real mental illness is very dark and it takes great strength to ask for help.
You admit you’re a workaholic. Did your work ethic help you recover?
I think it helped me back on the road, yes. But I also think that was one of the causes of it, too. It’s a double-edged sword. I’m a worrier and a perfectionist, so I put stress on myself. I’m a people-pleaser and I’m super-sensitive, and that combo is not good!
You must be comforted by the public’s support…
Honestly, it’s been amazing. In the beginning, I didn’t want to talk about my depression. But I also wanted to be upfront and honest. At first, you think you’re completely alone – but, actually, there are thousands of people going through exactly what you are. So it’s important to talk about it openly.
Coronation Street
is on ITV on Mon, Wed and Fri, 7.30pm and 8.30pm. For information on Mind, visit mind.org.uk
‘Liz has been battered physically and emotionally, but she always bounces back’