Coronation Street legend Julie Goodyear is suffering from dementia, her husband Scott Brand has revealed.
The 81-year-old played the iconic, leopard print-loving Bet Lynch on Corrie from 1966 to 1995, returning for a brief stint in 2002-03.
Goodyear has largely been out of the limelight since appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in 2012 and now Brand has given fans an update on his wife's health.
In a statement, he said: "My darling wife and I have had to come to terms with this heart-breaking diagnosis. Unfortunately, Julie has been suffering forgetfulness for some time and we have been seeking medical advice and assistance, but we now know that there is no hope of a reversal in the situation – and that her condition will get progressively, and perhaps speedily, worse.
"We have taken the decision to publicly announce the diagnosis as Julie still loves visiting friends and eating out. Inevitably she is recognised, and fans love to meet her - and she them - but she can get confused particularly if she is tired. I hope people will understand."
News of Goodyear's diagnosis comes less than three years after the loss of fellow soap icon Barbara Windsor, who had been battling Alzheimer's disease since 2014.
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