Lynne Verrall, Coronation Street actress and stage star, dies aged 76

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Lynne Verrall, a Coronation Street actress with a career lasting over 50 years, has passed away at 76.

The actress, famous for her role as Geraldine Spellman in the ITV soap and numerous stage and television appearances, sadly died in Paris on November 8, 2025, after a prolonged illness.

According to her agent, Samantha Boyd, Lynne was always eager to take on new challenges and constantly sought to improve her skills. She lived life with enthusiasm and fully embraced every opportunity.

Born and raised in Wellington, Shropshire during the 1950s, Verrall later received training at what is now the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, formerly known as the Birmingham School of Acting.

I’ve always been impressed with her work on stage. She’s performed at some amazing places like the Royal Court in London, Theatr Clwyd, and the Royal & Derngate. One performance that really stood out to me was when she played Anna in Carrie Cracknell’s production of A Doll’s House at the Young Vic back in 2012 – it was truly memorable!

In the 1970s and 80s, Verrall appeared in small parts on TV shows like Hard Cases and Bill Brand.

She relocated to Paris in 2012 and later joined the cast of Coronation Street, playing Geraldine Spellman. She appeared on the show periodically from June 2017 to March 2018.

She played the grandmother of Summer Spellman and had a legal battle with Billy Mayhew over Summer’s care after Summer’s father entrusted her to him.

In 2023, she appeared as Kelly Reilly’s mother in the comedy-drama Greek Salad. Not long after filming finished, she received a diagnosis of motor neurone disease.

I was so saddened to hear about Lynne. A friend set up a fundraising page for her, and reading it really captured who she was. It said she faced Motor Neurone Disease with her usual funny and brave attitude – she never lost her sparkle or her sense of humour, even when things were incredibly tough. It’s a beautiful tribute.

And, staying true to her generous spirit, Lynne left a gift in her will to ARSLA, the organization supporting people with MND here in Paris, hoping to help others facing this terrible disease. If you’d like to remember her and help fight this illness – ARSLA’s campaign slogan is wonderfully direct! – a small donation to their work would be greatly appreciated.

I can almost hear Lynne chuckling and responding with a cheerful, ‘That’s perfect – no need to make a big deal, but thank you, dear.’

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2025-11-27 14:34