Beverley Callard knew her "work sister" Anne Kirkbride was never coming back to ‘Coronation Street’ after the soap legend was signed off as sick.
After 42 years on the ITV soap, Anne had stopped working months before she passed away aged 60 from breast cancer in January this year but the majority of the ‘Corrie’ cast thought she would be back playing Deirdre Barlow.
However, Anne’s "best friend" Beverley – who plays Liz McDonald on the soap – was one of the few people aware of how sick she really was.
The 58-year-old actress said: "I knew she wasn’t coming back to work but for a lot of people it was a huge shock. I can remember seeing it in the papers myself and thinking, ‘No, that’s not true’."
Beverley – who has been in and out of ‘Corrie’ for 25 years – went on to reveal that just walking past the smoking shelter on set reminds her of Anne, and she hasn’t been back to the village in Spain where they both own homes since she died.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, she said: "Everyone said Anne Kirkbride and I were work sisters — we were best friends, and even had homes in the same village in Spain. I’ve not been there since she died. I’m not ready for that yet, without Annie being there.
"There’s still huge sadness over her death. Every single time I walk past the smoking shelter on set, or places I associate with her, I think of her. She gave me so many laughs, and I think of her fondly."
Beverly Callard knew ‘work sister’ Anne Kirkbride wasn’t coming back to Corrie
