Corrie’s Beth Tinker star Lisa George reveals rare illness that led to soap exit after 13 years

Coronation Street actress Lisa George left fans in tears after her final scenes as Beth Tinker aired in August. Now, she has opened up about a health diagnosis which led to the exit.

Former Coronation Street actress Lisa George has shared her worrying health struggles since leaving the cobbles. The actress bid farewell to Weatherfield in August, following a 13-year stint as the brassy Beth Tinker, but health struggles left her feeling she may never return to acting.

The actress is currently gearing up for a dazzling role as the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at the Wyvern Theatre and Swindon Arts Centre this festive season. However, Lisa, 51, opened up about the fears that almost kept her from returning to the stage due to her diagnosis with NAION – non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, a condition causing sudden vision loss through reduced blood flow to the optic nerve. Now partially sighted in one eye and limited to peripheral vision in the other, she recounted a scary experience during an emotional interview on BBC’s Morning Live.

**Lisa, 51, opened up about her fears that her illness would stop her acting altogether** (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

She shared: “I’d been to the theatre to see a Shakespeare production and at the end of one of the scenes, there was a blackout – it really was dark. The actors left the set and I thought, oh my gosh, I’m not going to be able to do that. I wouldn’t be able to see or get off the stage.”

The ordeal struck a chord with her: “I remember going home that night and it just had a massive impact on me. I remember thinking I wouldn’t be able to do theatre again. I had this panic – I’ve got to get out there. I had spoken to my producer about my fear but in my head, I knew I wasn’t going to do it.”

Lisa has courageously decided to return to the stage, despite her diagnosis, and is determined not to let it dictate her life. She shared: “It put the fear in me. I was really frightened because you just don’t know what the future is. I just get on with it because what other choices do I have? I just have to look at it a different way,” reports the Manchester Evening News.

**Lisa revealed that she had to make special adjustments because of the illness, including having special large print text to read**

She also detailed to show hosts Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones the adjustments made in her daily routine because of the diagnosis, such as enlarged text on her computer and printed materials to accommodate her vision.

Lisa opened up about the challenges she faces, like dropping cups or tripping over, even within the comfort of her home. Additionally, Lisa has spoke about the tough times when her eyesight began to deteriorate, telling the Liverpool Echo : “When my first eye went, I was really depressed, I had my license taken off me,” and “And, I was really depressed thinking, ‘Oh my god I’m not going to be able to drive’.”

After grappling with the initial shock and wearing an eye patch for three months, she still experienced pain. She revealed: “My right eye was my worst, where I’ve got more vision damage… I was really like, ‘Oh my god what’s going to happen? ‘ but they were like, ‘You can drive with one good eye you’ll be fine’.”