Former Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has told fans she is in “limbo” after her latest setback since being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Callard, best known for her role as Liz McDonald in the long-running TV soap, shared what she called a “big update” with her 319,000 followers on Instagram.
Not only is she facing a delay on drugs for stomach pain she is experiencing after her cancer treatment, she told fans she was “gutted” to be told she could not bring a new dog home.
Diagnosis and treatment
The actor was diagnosed with breast cancer in February and has been candid with fans about her health on social media since.
In her most recent video update, Callard said she was having a “nightmare” with being prescribed the medication to address the “erosion” and “chronic inflammation” in her stomach.
“The consultant said I was going to be given three medications – two antibiotics and one that sort of protects the stomach,” she said.
“I thought, ‘Well this would be good’. And she [the consultant] said, ‘You will feel better’ as she said I didn’t look well, which I know anyway.”
Prescription problems
Callard, who also appeared in reality TV show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, said she immediately went to the chemist after the hospital only to be told that she could not have the newly prescribed medicines.
The pharmacist told her that the prescription would “interact with some of the medications you are already on”. She recalled how the chemist told her that they would “need to speak to oncology and get this cleared up, because you really can’t have these”.
She said it was a “nightmare” trying to contact the hospital to discuss the issue but praised the pharmacist for being “amazing” in following it up by attempting to contact doctors on her behalf.
Adoption setback
The Two Pints of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps actor said she is “at a loss” while she waits for the oncology team to come back to her.
“I’m in limbo again, which is a nightmare,” said the 69-year-old, in the two-minute video posted on Friday.
Callard, who played Liz on Corrie on and off from 1989 to 2020 and featured in more than 2,000 episodes, said she also had “awful news” about a dog called Elvis she had hoped to adopt.
Earlier in the week, the dog-lover had visited the Dublin Dog Hub, and told her followers that she had fallen in love with a cute canine.
But his recent behaviour has meant that the adoption has been vetoed, she said.
“We can’t have Elvis and we are gutted,” Callard continued.
“Elvis is being neutered and microchipped and we’ve got a new bed ready, new bowls, everything for him.
“And he can’t come because, in the rescue centre, he bit another dog and then he bit John, the handler. So it would be unsafe for Arthur and Elsie (Callard’s current dogs).
“We are so disappointed – really disappointed.”
Health journey
Callard had her last radiotherapy session in July after her breast cancer diagnosis.
She told fans in September that she “lost consciousness” during filming on the set of the Irish soap, Fair City, passing out for about 10 minutes on set.
In 2020, she took part in I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and finished in fourth place. Last year, she returned to the jungle to film I’m A Celebrity... South Africa but was forced to leave the camp after collapsing.
The episode was filmed in September 2025, before Callard received her diagnosis. She later explained that she did not know she had cancer at the time.
