Elizabeth Rider, a regular face on British television, is making a comeback to Coronation Street after 20 years, taking on her third role in the iconic soap. The actress first appeared on the cobbles in 2006 as Kathleen Gutteridge, the biological mother of Ashley Peacock, who had abandoned him at birth. Her return was confirmed by a source speaking to The Sun, who said: 'Corrie bosses are delighted to have tempted Elizabeth for a short stint on the cobbles. She’s a legendary actress with a huge amount of talent and everyone’s thrilled she’s here.'
Previous Roles on Coronation Street
Rider's first role as Kathleen Gutteridge was a dramatic one. After Fred Elliott revealed he was Ashley's real father, Ashley sought out his mother, despite Fred's warnings that it would upset his adoptive mother, Beryl Peacock. The initial frostiness between Ashley and Kathleen eventually thawed, and she attended his wedding to Maxine Heavey, even fending off a romantic advance from Fred. She later returned as Genna, a social worker involved in Les Battersby-Brown's adoption of his stepson Chesney.
Extensive Soap Career
Elizabeth Rider is no stranger to soap operas. Her career includes four roles in The Bill (Tina Rogers, Josephine Eyre, Sarah Callaghan, Diane Silk), two in Casualty (Cathy Malone, Bev Elliott), four in Holby City (Linda Haywood, Annie Franklin, Carol Bennett, Polly Thomas), a ten-episode run in EastEnders as Nurse Jill Green, three roles in Doctors (Denise Roberts, Louise McBride, Lynette Driver), four in Emmerdale (Fiona MacPherson, an unnamed doctor, a defence solicitor, another solicitor), and a role in Waterloo Road as Sheila Hanson.
Beyond Soap: A Versatile Actress
Rider's talent extends far beyond soap operas. She appeared in the second and third series of At Home with the Braithwaites (2001-2002) as Helen Braithwaite, and has featured in Heartbeat, The Street, The Accused, The Tunnel, Call the Midwife, Informer, and the 2013 Doctor Who Christmas special, The Time of the Doctor. Her film credits include Breakout, Sacred Hearts, The Wrong Type, Stone Cold, Brothers of the Head, and Letters from Baghdad. She also provided the voice for Atris in the video game Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.
Early Career and Training
Rider began her career at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she was awarded the Gold Medal, the institution's premier music prize. After graduation, she joined the Radio Drama Company after winning the Carleton Hobbs Bursary. Her first television role was as Nora in the 1979 series Testament of Youth. Her return to Weatherfield is highly anticipated by fans and producers alike.
