Coronation Street star Lynne Verrall, with 30 year career, dies aged 76 | Soaps

Successful TV and stage actress Lynne Verrall has died aged 76 after a long illness.

She died in Paris on November 8, 2025, and a gofundme has since been set up in her memory.

The actress was best known to Coronation Street fans as Geraldine Spellman, Summer Spellman’s (Harriet Bibby) grandmother, who she played in 2017 and 2018.

Geraldine fought Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) for custody of Summer, but ultimately lost.

Lynne was born in 1949 and grew up in Shropshire. She trained at the Birmingham School of Acting and after graduating there, Lynne toured with the New Shakespeare Company as an understudy for the role of Celia, in the production of As You Like It.

During the 1990s, the star worked at Theatr Clwyd in Entertaining Mr Sloane, and later went on to star in Joe Penhall’s Pale Horse.

Lynne moved to Paris in 2012, where she starred in several French short films.

In 2023, she played the role of Kelly Reilly’s mother in the dramedy Greek Salad, which had been offered to her by French director Cédric Klapisch.

After wrapping filming for the role, Lynne was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

‘Lynne was always ready to try any role, to grow and learn and develop. She embraced life to the full,’ her agent, Samantha Boyd said, as reported by The Stage.

Close friend Sue Dunderdale, who started touring company Pentabus, of which Lynne was an original member, said of her illness: ‘She faced it with incredible courage. She was extraordinary.’

‘She remained in Paris because she’d been happy there. She created this wonderful persona of an eccentric, charming Englishwoman,’ The Sun reports.

‘She was a fantastic actor but never got the recognition she deserved.’