Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has revealed a nightmare operation left her battling to walk again.
The 63-year-old actress, who plays Liz McDonald in the ITV soap, opened up on the excruciating agony she has been enduring amid her sudden disappearance from the show.
In a new interview, Beverley reveals she’s had the ‘worst six months of my life’ after a routine hip operation left her fearing that she’d need a wheelchair for the rest of her life.
Surgery horror: Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has revealed a nightmare operation left her battling to walk again
Speaking with The Mirror, the star revealed that she is suing the hospital which carried out the operation after a second opinion from a doctor led to her minor keyhole surgery being changed to a full hip replacement.
She added that she believes that the surgery, which has since left her in agony, shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
She told the publication: ‘I have been gone because it has been the worst six months of my life. I have been in the most excruciating pain you can imagine – like teeth grinding inside my hip.’
Beverley continued: ‘But worse than that was the mental torture of thinking “is this the end for me?” A huge part of me thought I’d never be able to return to Coronation Street – that I wouldn’t even walk again.’
Pain: The 63-year-old actress, who plays Liz McDonald in the ITV soap, opened up on the excruciating agony she has been enduring amid her sudden disappearance from the show
The star, who admitted that she had even considered installing a stair lift as she could barely walk, opened up on her fear of losing her job and ability to walk.
She explained: ‘Liz is famous for mini skirts, stockings and high heels shoes. Not crutches and a mobility scooter. I thought I wouldn’t be able to do my job any more. That is how bad it has been. There was definite doubt over whether I would walk again.’
The blonde revealed that after initially quitting the cobbles, she changed her mind and had agreed to stay another year.
But earlier this month fans were left baffled as Liz suddenly left Weatherfield off-screen, with it revealed that she had moved to Spain.
Nightmare: In a new interview, Beverley reveals she’s had the ‘worst six months of my life’ after a routine hip operation left her fearing that she’d need a wheelchair for the rest of her life
However, her plans to continue on the show were scuppered by the operation, with the star explaining the pain in the aftermath was ‘absolute hell’.
Beverley’s nightmare began when she visited her GP in March to seek advice on a ‘niggle in my hip, in my groin on the right side’.
Her doctor said it could easily be fixed with a small operation, however, what followed was a world of pain for the star.
Beverley explained that following what she thought was a ‘minor operation’ at the hospital, which she is not naming for legal reasons, she was told that the surgery didn’t go as planned.
Shock: The star revealed that she is suing the hospital which carried out the operation after a second opinion from a doctor led to her minor keyhole surgery being changed to a full hip replacement (pictured in character in 2015)
She explained to the publication that she was told afterwards that during the procedure, her hip had ‘crumbled’ and that she needed ‘further operations’ while there.
Days after being released from the hospital, Beverley began to experience excruciating pain which only grew worse.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the thespian was left in agony for months while she waited for a new operation.
It wasn’t until a trauma surgeon pal stepped in that Beverley, who was left in constant ‘tears’ over the pain, got a new appointment the next day, with the surgery following afterwards.
Agony: ‘I have been gone because it has been the worst six months of my life. I have been in the most excruciating pain you can imagine – like teeth grinding inside my hip’
Earlier this month, Coronation Street fans said they were ‘gutted’ after Beverley’s character Liz was given a quiet exit despite being on the soap for 31 years.
The popular character, was said to have left the cobbles and moved to Spain during the episode.
After the episode aired several people took to Twitter to express their confusion and frustration at the storyline, with one saying Liz ‘did not deserve an off-screen exit’.
During the episode Liz’s absence was mentioned by Leanne Battersby, played by Jane Danson, and Steve McDonald, played by Simon Gregson, her son.
During one conversation Leanne said to Steve: ‘I don’t suppose it helps that your mum’s in Spain either.’
Change of plan: The blonde revealed that after initially quitting the cobbles, she changed her mind and had agreed to stay another year (pictured with onscreen ex husband Jim in 2018)
‘Hell’: However, her plans to continue on the show were scuppered by the operation, with the star explaining the pain in the aftermath was ‘absolute hell’ (pictured with onscreen son Steve in 2010)
Several avid fans were left ‘gutted’ at Liz’s underwhelming exit and took to Twitter to vent their frustration.
Corrie fan account Coronation Street Memories wrote: ‘Gutted at this. Bev /Liz deserved a proper exit!’
While another fan said: ‘What’s the storyline with Liz McDonald in #corrie. I must have missed something’
Someone else added: ‘So apparently Liz won’t be returning to Corrie and last night’s episode where they mentioned she had gone to Spain will be the last we hear about her. LIZ MCDONALD DID NOT DESERVE AN OFF-SCREEN EXIT’
And another disappointed fan questioned: ‘Has Liz McDonald left #corrie for Spain??? Did they not film any final scenes?’
‘Gutted’: Earlier this month, Coronation Street fans said they were ‘gutted’ after Beverley’s character Liz was given a quiet exit despite being on the soap for 31 years (pictured iwth her onscreen family in 1989)