Legendary Coronation Street barmaid and landlady Bet Gilroy returned to the cobbles of Weatherfield in 2002 after a break of seven years.

Actress Julie Goodyear swept back into the Rovers Return clad in trademark animal-print coat and gaudy earrings.

Just weeks after rejoining, Goodyear quit the show due to exhaustion - but producers refused to kill off the popular character.

She returned for 10 episodes in 2003 set in Blackpool in a storyline which also saw the return of Liz and Jim McDonald.