Corrie's Blanche 'critical' in hospital

Veteran Coronation Street actress Maggie Jones is in a critical condition after being rushed to hospital, Digital Spy can confirm.

The 75-year-old, who plays Weatherfield legend Blanche Hunt, was admitted to Hope Hospital in Manchester at the weekend for life-saving surgery.

It is thought that the soap star has now undergone an emergency operation, though full details are yet to emerge.

A Coronation Street spokeswoman confirmed to DS tonight that Jones remains at the Hope.

She added: "Our thoughts are with her family and everyone wishes her a speedy recovery."

Jones made her debut as Blanche in 1974 and played the role for four years. She later returned for guest stints and made a permanent comeback in 1998.

The actress has established herself as a fan favourite in recent years and won the funniest performance prize at the Inside Soap Awards last month.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s3...-hospital.html


Hope she gets better quickly.

CORONATION Street legend Maggie Jones was fighting for life in hospital last night after rupturing her spleen in a fall.
The telly veteran - who plays battleaxe Blanche Hunt - has had major surgery and was said to be critically ill.

Widow Maggie, 75, was diagnosed with the life-threatening condition after suffering the horror fall at her home on Sunday.

She is being treated at the Hope Hospital in Manchester where doctors believe the next few days are vital.

Last night frantic bosses were writing her out of all immediate scenes and breaking the grim news to co-stars on the ITV soap.

A Corrie source said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with her at this difficult time.

"Everyone here is wishing her a speedy recovery and we hope she's going to be OK.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed because obviously she is one of the elder members of the cast.

"There's a very real chance her career's over and the character of Blanche will be off screens for good.

"Even if she manages to make a full recovery she wouldn't be filming again until Christmas, which will keep her off-screen until mid-February at least.

"It's devastating news for fans. She's a very popular actress and has a massive following on the show."

The spleen is an organ in the upper abdomen that removes old red blood cells and recycles them.

In April last year Maggie was ruled out of filming for several weeks when she hurt her knee and shoulder after a fall at a Manchester hotel where she stays during filming.

Maggie made her Corrie debut in the 1960s as a policewoman and put in another guest appearance a few years later.

She first starred as Deirdre Barlow's mum Blanche in 1974 and became a regular cast member ten years ago.

Since then she has won an army of fans with her put-downs and cutting one-liners - winning awards for best comedy performance in a British soap in 2005 and 2008.

With her trademark scowl and "don't mess with me" folded arms, she berates Deirdre and son-in-law Ken.

In one classic snipe, she said: "Good looks are a curse, Deirdre. You and Kenneth should count yourselves lucky."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0Tn27AIQe

:(

bless her. i hope shes ok.

Already posted here http://www.soapboards.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=101024