Dame Maureen Lipman has long been one of Coronation Street’s most beloved and sharp-tongued residents, thanks to her role as Evelyn Plummer — a character who dishes out dry wit and emotional depth in equal measure. But now, in a refreshingly honest conversation, Lipman is lifting the curtain on the less glamorous reality of working in one of Britain’s most iconic soaps.
In a recent appearance on the 20 Questions podcast, the 78-year-old acting veteran didn’t mince words as she opened up about the creative limitations of daily soap filming. Having starred in Corrie since 2018 — and with a brief guest role over 20 years ago as Lillian Spencer — Lipman is no stranger to the fast-paced, high-volume environment of Weatherfield. But while the public sees polished scenes on screen, behind the scenes, it’s a different story.
“One of the problems of being in a soap,” she shared, “is that you’re doing eight or ten scenes a day. You read it, you move it, you film it. That’s it. Thank you and next.”
Unlike the theatre, where actors can explore nuance and intention through rehearsal and repetition, or even film where multiple takes allow for experimentation, soaps run on a tight schedule with little time for second chances. According to Lipman, there’s barely time to breathe — let alone act in the traditional sense.
“It’s almost like radio… except with cameras,” she explained. “People are just talking heads. You’re standing there saying, ‘Don’t you talk to me like that!’ if it’s EastEnders, or ‘I’ll have a word with you’ if it’s Coronation Street — but no one’s actually doing anything!”
For Lipman, whose career stretches back to the 1970s with notable stage and screen roles — including the cult series Agony and the unforgettable BT adverts where she coined the immortal phrase “You got an ology” — the essence of performance lies in physicality.
“Acting, for me, is about doing,” she emphasized. “Real people multitask — they argue while cooking, they gesture, they move. Life is messy. And when you take that out of acting, you lose something.”
Lipman even poked fun at her own struggles with soap continuity, recounting how on her very first day on Corrie, she removed her coat and then forgot, putting it back on in the same scene. “I’m terrible with continuity,” she laughed. “They told me, ‘We don’t do anything. There’s no time to do anything.’”
Still, despite the challenges, Lipman made it clear she’s not ready to bow out. “I’ll carry on as long as I’m wanted—or until I physically can’t do it anymore,” she stated with her trademark grit and humor.
Evelyn Plummer may be off-screen for now, but Maureen Lipman’s candor reminds fans why she’s such a rare gem in British television. Behind the dry one-liners and steely glares lies an artist deeply devoted to her craft — and never afraid to speak her truth. Whether in Weatherfield or on the airwaves, Dame Maureen is a force to be reckoned with.
