Amanda Barrie has recalled sheltering from bombs during World War II – but she insisted "nothing comes close" to coronavirus.
The 84-year-old star is currently in isolation with her partner, novelist Hilary Bonner, during the pandemic, and said the crisis has "escalated to a terrifying extent".
She said: "I’m an old chorus girl and a wartime babe. My childhood memories include being buried in an avalanche of black-market tinned peas while sheltering from bombs under the cellar stairs.
"Nothing, nothing, comes close to this.
"In just a few days, the coronavirus crisis has escalated to a terrifying extent."
The ‘Coronation Street’ legend feels fortunate to live in a country house with a "big garden" during the pandemic.
She explained: "It isn’t easy for any of us. And I’m acutely aware of how lucky I am. We have a house in the country with a big garden.
"We have space and fresh air. We look out at a landscape that hasn’t changed in this time of crisis."
The former cobbles star – who portrayed Alma Halliwell on the ITV soap between 1981 and 2001 – had a big schedule planned with Hilary, but admitted that now sounds "unbelievably smug" and their plans have mostly been scrapped.
In a piece for the Daily Mirror newspaper, she added: "We intended to have a highly organised routine and planned to write about our new daily schedule, including allocated time slots for tidying and cleaning, taking exercise, throwing ball for Coco, working on the book we are jointly writing, and so on.
"Also, we resolved to dress up for drinks and dinner at least a couple of times a week.
"Well, quite frankly, not only does all that now sound unbelievably smug but most of it has gone right up our nostrils. We are still doing some of those things, to a degree, but at the moment we couldn’t organise an empty drawer."
Amanda Barrie isolating amid ‘terrifying’ coronavirus pandemic
