Beverley Callard revealed she's had the 'worst six months of my life' after a hip operation left her fearing she'd never walk again.
Coronation Street actress Beverley, who plays Liz McDonald in the ITV soap, is now suing the hospital who performed the surgery.
The 63-year-old was admitted for minor keyhole surgery in March, which led to a full hip replacement, which she claims should never have taken place following a second opinion from another doctor.
Explaining her sudden disappearance from the soap, Beverley told The Mirror, '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.'
She 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.'
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'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.
'I was in a state of shock and pain for four months. It has been absolute hell.'
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Beverley 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.
The actress revealed that after initially quitting the cobbles, she changed her mind and had agreed to stay another year.
She was due to return to filming two weeks after the operation. But earlier this month, fans were left baffled as Liz suddenly left Weatherfield off-screen, with it revealed that she had moved to Spain.
