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LONDON - Actress Liz Dawn, who plays the feisty Vera Duckworth in Britain's longest-running soap opera Coronation Street, is to leave the show due to ill health, she told the News of the World in an interview on Sunday.
Suffering from the chronic lung disease emphysema, Dawn will leave the ITV soap just before Christmas after a 34-year association with the programme, though she will continue to make the occasional guest appearance.
"It's been an amazing 34 years," Dawn told the News of the World. "I'd like to thank everyone for what has been the best time of my life."
Coronation Street executive producer Kieran Roberts added: "Liz has taken a decision to relax and enjoy her retirement. We're indebted to her for all she has achieved during her years as Vera Duckworth."
First broadcast in black and white back in 1960, Coronation Street has evolved from a portrayal of everyday life in the northern English city of Manchester to a much racier programme that embraces the full spectrum of modern Britain.
- REUTERS
