SHE was one of the first famous faces to be lined up for this year’s I’m A Celebrity – now it looks like Beverley Callard could be in doubt before she even gets in.
The Corrie actress, who has played Liz McDonald on the soap for 31 years, is struggling to walk after a recent operation on her hip went badly wrong.
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And even though I’m A Celeb is due to relocate to Wales, that still means she may struggle to do the challenges producers are likely to set.
That has left a big question mark over whether she will be fit enough to join the rest of the famous campmates on the show.
A TV insider said: “Beverley was signed up for the show when it was still planned to be in Australia.
“She was so excited to be able to come on board. Obviously, with the surgery, she’s had complications no one could have foreseen.
"There’s no way she’s able to take part in the show and fully experience it.
“At best, she might have been able to do the smaller tasks. But for most of them she’d have to sit out for medical reasons, which is no fun for Bev, nor for viewers.”
The actress announced last year that she intended to bow out of Coronation Street after three decades on the cobbles.
Her exit was subtly revealed earlier this month on the show when her soap son, Steve McDonald, mentioned she had moved to Spain.
And it was all so Bev could pursue other projects, just like I’m A Celebrity.
Fingers crossed she makes a speedy recovery — I think she’ll be great value.
All Bets are off
CORONATION Street fans will be disappointed if they hope to see legendary characters like Bet Lynch in the soap’s 60th anniversary special.
Boss Iain MacLeod has ruled out having former stars – such as Bet actress Julie Goodyear – pop up.
He would rather showcase the existing cast in the much-anticipated programme later this year.
He said: “We have got an incredible bunch of legends that are already in the show.
"Having a revolving door of former cast coming in to do cameos just for kind of a brief moment of an audience going, ‘Oh wow it’s them’, would have felt a bit like a cheap trick.”
But Iain did confirm that Corrie favourites Ken Barlow and Rita Sullivan, played by Bill Roache and Barbara Knox, would be back filming for the anniversary episode.
must watch
WHAT? Council House Britain, Channel 4, Thursday 9pm.
WHY? A fridge full of cockroaches and a window cleaner doing a high-wire act appear in the first episode of this new documentary about housing authority workers.
Micah magic
MICAH Richards puts the boot in when he appears on tomorrow night’s A League Of Their Own.
The pundit and former England defender shows off sensational bicycle kicks on the Sky One panel show.
Micah is guest captain for the red team, which also has comics Romesh Ranganathan and Rhys James.
The blue team is captained by Top Gear’s Freddie Flintoff, who is flanked by Rob Beckett and sprinter Dina Asher-Smith.
Usual team captain, ex-Spurs and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp, will be guest host for the first time in the show’s ten-year history.
Just as well Jamie doesn’t have to do bicycle kicks.
Judging by his professional career, he’d end up injured.
Bro for it Curtis
AJ Pritchard is to join I’m A Celebrity this year – and could be getting some sibling support when he does.
Brother Curtis wants to join the former Strictly Come Dancing professional when the show relocates from Oz to Wales in the autumn.
He said: “I’d love to go on I’m A Celeb with AJ, it would be fantastic if us two were doing it.”
AJ, who left Strictly this year, was also keen to pair up with his bro and is currently working with him promoting social learning platform FutureLearn.
But he was cagey when asked about taking part.
AJ said: “At the moment, it’s really about moving forward with me and Curtis and we have got some exciting things coming up.”
A bit TOO evasive there.
bizticker
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