Former Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has spoken candidly about the most challenging period of her life, revealing she was diagnosed with severe clinical depression in 2010. The 69-year-old actress, who is currently appearing on I'm A Celebrity... South Africa, described the experience as even worse than her battle with cervical cancer years earlier.
In an interview on The Hard Shoulder podcast, Callard detailed her ordeal, saying she was hospitalised for three months and underwent 12 sessions of electroconvulsive therapy. 'I was in a black hole and I didn't know why it had happened to me,' she said, emphasising that the depression was not triggered by any life event but was due to a chemical imbalance in her brain.
Despite the severity of her past struggles, Callard reassured fans that she has been well for a long time and stressed that with the right help, recovery is possible. Her comments come as she appears on the ITV show, which was filmed before she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in January. She clarified on Instagram that the series was pre-recorded, so viewers should not worry about her current health.
Callard also addressed the possibility of returning to Coronation Street, where she played Liz McDonald for over 30 years. While she has not ruled it out, she noted that the workload would be demanding and that she feels the stories for her character had run their course. 'I think you should never say never,' she added.
