Maureen Lipman is set to join the cast of Coronation Street, playing the role of Evelyn Plummer, described as an 'outspoken battleaxe' and the grandmother of Tyrone Dobbs. The character arrives after Tyrone researches his family history following the death of his mother, Jackie.
According to ITV, Evelyn will 'ruffle a few feathers on the Street', much to the dismay of Tyrone's girlfriend Fiz. Show producer Iain MacLeod expressed his excitement, calling Evelyn a 'great new character' and praising Lipman's pedigree. He added that Evelyn is 'eye-wateringly withering' and will bring a 'fresh dollop of northern humour' to the show.
Lipman, known for her roles in The Pianist, Educating Rita, and Oklahoma, is currently performing a one-woman show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She initially hesitated to take the soap role due to her Edinburgh commitments, but a sign from her late husband, Jack Rosenthal—who wrote 250 episodes of Coronation Street—convinced her. She described her character as 'a monster'.
Lipman previously appeared on Coronation Street in 2002 as a relief manageress at the Rovers Return. She will return to the cobbles in September, joining a list of notable actors who have appeared on the long-running ITV soap, including Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Ben Kingsley.
