Beverley Callard has outlined her intention to return to Coronation Street early in 2021 in order to film Liz McDonald's exit from the soap.
The 63-year-old is bowing out of Weatherfield after 31 years playing the iconic character, with her exit scenes originally due to air this summer.
The coronavirus pandemic scuppered those plans, however, while in real life, Callard has been left struggling to walk after a hip operation went wrong.
On screen Liz is said to have moved to Spain but Callard is determined to return to the cobbles to give Liz a fitting send-off as soon as she is well enough.
"I will go back maybe the beginning of next year," she told today's Loose Women. "So they will see a bit more of Liz and it's going to be very dramatic I believe!
"I wasn't going to talk about the operation at all, but I know there was a bit of an uproar, because after 35 years they're just sending her off to Spain and we're not going to see her.
"So it wasn't Coronation Street's fault, it was no one's fault, it was just one of those things.
"What I'm hoping for the exit is Liz and Jim get back together and just go off into the sunset, but I have a feeling that might not happen."
Callard's injury is thought to have ruled her out of a planned appearance on this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
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