Sarah Lancashire, who played Raquel Watts on Coronation Street from 1991 to 1996, has consistently ruled out a return to the soap. Despite her fond memories, the actress has made it clear over the years that she will not revisit the cobbles.
In 2006, Lancashire stated she would not return even for a £1m salary, saying: "No. I'd never go back, at all. I was persuaded to do the millennium episode, and that was it." She added that she felt she had "buried" that chapter of her career.
By 2009, she reinforced her decision, explaining: "The show that I was a part of is not the show it is now." She emphasised that as an actor, one must learn from new experiences rather than revisit the past.
In 2017, when again asked about a possible comeback, Lancashire replied bluntly: "No … The show I was in doesn’t exist anymore." She then quipped: "Now do the next question – ‘Would you ever go back?’ No."
Most recently, at the National Television Awards, she told The Sun: "It’s very clear why I would never go back because the show evolves, decade by decade." She noted that her character Raquel would now be "too old for short skirts" and that she prefers to leave the character in the past.
Lancashire, who gained acclaim for roles in Happy Valley and Julia, insists she has no regrets and values the opportunities that came after leaving Weatherfield. She concluded: "You never really leave the characters, but you can walk away."
