The actress appeared on the ITV soap as Geraldine Spellman and had a successful 50-year career in theatre and TV
Coronation Street actress Lynne Verrall, whose illustrious career stretched over five decades, has passed away, it has been confirmed. The performer, who enjoyed tremendous success across theatre and television before securing the part of Geraldine Spellman in the ITV soap during 2017, reportedly died in Paris on November 8 following a lengthy battle with Motor Neurone Disease, a group of rare and progressive diseases that affect the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscles.
Her representative, Samantha Boyd, reportedly told industry publication The Stage: “Lynne was always ready to try any role, to grow and learn and develop. She embraced life to the full.” It is understood that a fundraising page has also been set up in her memory to help fight motor neurone disease.
According to Manchester Evening News, it reads: “Our dear friend Lynne faced MND with her trademark wit and courage — and even in the toughest moments, she never lost her spark (or her sense of humour).
“In true Lynne fashion, she even left a gift in her will to ARSLA, the MND association here in Paris, to help others facing this awful illness. If you’d like to honour her memory — and give this disease the middle finger (ARSLA’s brilliant campaign slogan!) — you might consider a small donation to support their work.
“I can just imagine Lynne laughing at that and saying, ‘That’s the spirit — don’t make a fuss, but thank you, darling’.” Following several roles on television in the 1970s and 1980s, Lynne landed the role of Geraldine Spellman in Coronation Street. She appeared in Corrie intermittently from June 2017 and March 2018.
Her character, Geraldine, served as the homophobic mother to her deceased son, Drew and grandmother to his adopted daughter, Summer Spellman. Following his terminal cancer diagnosis, Drew made the decision to entrust the care of Summer to his ex-partner Billy Mayhew and Billy’s then-boyfriend Todd Grimshaw.
He believed they would provide a better upbringing for her than his parents, who held homophobic views, particularly his mother.
What is MND?
MND is a progressive condition that shortens life by attacking the nerves responsible for movement, known as motor neurons. This generally leads to muscle weakness, making it difficult to speak, breathe, move, and swallow, which worsens over months or years.
Although adults of any age can get MND, it is more common in people over the age of 50. Sadly, there is no cure for MND right now, but there are treatments available to help manage its symptoms.
According to the NHS, its initial symptoms may include:
- Weak legs and feet – you may have difficulty climbing stairs, you may trip over a lot, and you may find it difficult to lift your feet
- Twitches, spasms or muscle cramps
- Stiff or weak hands
As MND progresses, you may also experience:
- An inability to walk
- Difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking
- Producing a lot of saliva
- Have changes in your mood or personality
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common type of motor neuron disease (MND), though there are actually four main types. Each variation affects people in different ways.
When should you see a doctor?
It is important to recognise that early symptoms of MND can resemble other, less serious conditions. Therefore, having muscle weakness or spasms does not necessarily mean you have MND.
However, the NHS particularly urges those experiencing three key symptoms to seek GP advice:
- Difficulty holding or gripping objects
- Weakness in your legs or feet
- Twitches or muscle cramps that keep happening, last a long time or do not go away
Its official advice adds: “If a GP thinks you might have motor neurone disease (MND), they may refer you to a brain and nerve specialist (neurologist) for an assessment and some tests.
“MND can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages. But as the symptoms get worse it can usually be confirmed.”