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Beverley Callard Joins Fair City as Gwen Connolly’s Long‑Lost Mother, Debuts Feb. 19

The Coronation Street veteran shifts to RTÉ’s Carrigstown after decades as Liz McDonald.

Overview

  • RTÉ announced she will play Lily, described by the show as quirky, unpredictable and sharp, entering Gwen Connolly’s storyline.
  • Gwen is portrayed by Belfast-born Emily Lamey, who has said she is unlike her trouble‑stirring on‑screen persona.
  • Callard is best known for Coronation Street’s Liz McDonald, with 2,362 episodes before her 2020 exit and multiple major UK TV award nominations.
  • She has spoken publicly about clinical depression, including a 2016 BBC interview recounting a 2009 on‑set collapse.
  • After her first day on the Fair City set, she told Instagram she felt “jittery” but said the welcome was warm.