liz signs new contract

[chance]

Coronation Street star Liz Dawn has signed a new two-year deal with the soap.

The news quashes rumours that Dawn, who has played Vera Duckworth for 31 years, was about to retire.

"I've read stories about my health with people hinting I may be leaving but that is rubbish," the 65-year-old told The People. "I've only just signed a new two-year-deal.

"I'm very happy on the show and have no intention of quitting."

Bill Tarmey, who plays onscreen husband Jack, is now expected to follow suit with a new contract.

Speculation had been rife that the Duckworths would be departing the cobbles later this year after winning the lottery.

[eastenders mad]

i thought Liz Dawn was leaving corrie. cause apprently she dies or something oh well.

[alan45]

i thought Liz Dawn was leaving corrie. cause apprently she dies or something oh well.

It was rumoured that the Duckies would leave because they won the lottery. I never heard any mention of a death

[Treacle]

This is dreadful news. The pair of them are awful. It's one of them relationships similar to Dot and Jim's in EastEnders. The beaten husband etc but it's so much more subtle in EE. All Jack ever does is tell her to go and take an hike and all she ever does is shout and buzz round like a demented wasp insulting him!
There's no reason why they should still be together. I know I wouldn't put up with her and she's an homophobic dozy old mare. These two are clapped out and will never have a decent storyline again. I've always hated the way Corrie has such talent especially with the oldies yet they refuse to let any of it be shown. Look at the fabulous Barbara Knox and Eileen Derbyshire. Their last plotline was the "book club" with the other oldies (and Liz, who seemed to be forgotten about as it progressed) and even then they didn't contribute much.

[Debs]

i love jack and vera so i am so glad that she isnt going! every soap needs a old married couple and a hen pecked husband, and they re great at it even (dare i say it?) better than dot andd jim!

fab news!

[Treacle]

No they're not debs26! Dot and Jim are still used for storylines whereas Jack & Vera rarely appear nowadays. Talk about being ageist!

[Debs]

so what when they do appear they are much better! i love dot and jim its just i think that vara and jack are better!

anyone else agree??

[samantha nixon]

i wish they were leaving aswell as i dont like them at all

[Treacle]

They're too OTT.

[eastenders mad]

yeah i think there are to many old people in corries

[Debs]

i dont think there are too many old people just the right amount. i love jack and vera!! and blanche too

[Bryan]

vera is boring... except for ocassional one-liners

her problem is she dont socialise with many people...she needs to get into Blanche's OAP crew lol

bondboffin

[Cat2687]

Coronation Street is ridiculous at the moment with all the marriage break ups and affairs...they couldn't get rid of the Duckworth's...it would be too much

[Luna]

I think the duckworths are really funny they bring to comedy to the show

[Treacle]

If you asked people who they cared about most, they'd probably say Dot and Jim because we see more of them and they're still given a storyline. They only roll out Jack and Vera to justify the amount they're paying them and their contracts. Why they're signing her up for another year is beyond me. They're paying her to do nothing and make the odd appearence that must take 5 minutes to film. Serving someone with a cup of tea in the cafe is not really worth a six figure sum!

[alan45]

Jack and Vera are a Corrie Institution. Over the years thay have had more than their fair share of laughter, tears and tragedy. Jim Branning is only a recent addition to soapland by comparison

[Treacle]

Yes and the viewers can compare Dot and Jim to Jack and Vera. Both are considered golden couples but the EE bosses try to justify June Brown/John Bardons salary.

[alan45]

The Beeb dont really seem to care how much dosh they throw around them to woo so called stars back to EE. After all its only the licence payers (i.e. you and I) money.

Trebles all round

[Treacle]

I'd sooner spend what 30p a day for the BBC then go and spend the same amount of money buying a Sun newspaper.

[Richie_lecturer]

It's still a TAX, whether you agree with it or not.

The TELLY TAX is what I call it.

[Treacle]

I'd rather pay 30p a day or something for the BBC and get some decent programming than get ITV for free and watch a load of dross, Island (will miss out Celeb and love seeing as these never existed), Celebrity Wrestling, ITV Day etc, I could go on. The only show I watch and enjoy is The Paul O'Grady Show because it entertains me. Their soaps are their secret weapon but for how long? Soon people will get sick of an over exposed product. I'm all for using stuff in a ratings battle but not when it's something that's as established as Coronation Street. Moving it around to support Island was just a load of nonsense on ITV's part. Aunty would never do that. I can't imagine them ever moving EastEnders to support another BBC show. They have more respect for it than to do that. They recognise their flagship show and give it the respect for being so. I honestly wish people would boycott the rubbish obtrusive 10 minute advert breaks on ITV so this channel doesn't get any money. Mind you it's probably funded on something else as well? I don't know about these things but if I had my pick of getting a rid of one it would be ITV and the only programmes I would want saving would be 3 of them!!! Corrie, Emmerdale and The PO'G show.
That's bad when it comes to only watching THREE programmes on an entire station!!!
Even channel four have a better line-up so things must have hit the skids. It's even worse than the beeb's bad patch, atleast they haven't increased the amount of time EE is on and they have tons of good programmes that aren't soaps as well. Doctor Who, Holby City and Casualty to name 3 off the top of my head. They seem to be offering something for everybody. ITV on the other hand is commercialist driven and it's a load of dross. How it's survived for the length it has with it's current dreadful line-up is beyond me!

[alan45]

The point is though that the BBC get this money from the tax payers come what may. They waste huge amounts of it because they can. If they were being run as a moneymaking venture they would have shareholders to be responsible to. Now they can offer ridiculous amounts of money to woo back 'stars'.

Read some of their internal publications just to see how many internal quango type bodies they set up with your money and mine. Not to mention junkets for staff and toadies

[Treacle]

They get huge amounts of money and most of it is wasted but I'm not paying them huge amounts of money. I'm paying them very little and don't care who gets what. If it makes them a decent channel at the end of the day. I'm all for paying them MORE never mind LESS. Channel Four have to rely on adverts and even they are now far superior to ITV in their line-up. They have tons of good dramas and shows even Hollyoaks is better than some of the dross ITV day has on! :D The beeb has also given us some of the best comedies and most of them. ITV need to sack Nigel whatever he's called and bring in somebody decent to make the channel half good again like it was back in the 80's.

[alan45]

You might not be paying them huge amounts of money but it all adds up. They know that at the start of the finacial year they are going to have x million pounds no matter how good or how crap their programming is

[Treacle]

If it was bad programming I would hate paying them anything but it isn't so I don't mind. They've been consistently good with their line-up now for atleast 5 years off the belt. I know a lot of money is wasted but we should only think short term what we're paying them and whether or not we enjoy what's heading our way in return through our box and I really like what's on offer at the moment. You only have to compare ITV2 and BBC3 the channels flagship Satellite channels to see how bad ITV really is.

[Tamzi]

Vera can be annoying, but I a glad she is staying.
xxx

[alan45]

30p a day for the beeb
61p a day for the royal family

Theres nearly a quid before you start

[Treacle]

Well I can afford it so I'm not complaining. I hate paying the Royals because they don't give me nothing in return but the TV licence I don't mind. If it was going to save ITV then I'd say they have an ITV licence fee too!