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What the papers said.....

Coronation Street's Alma quits

Coronation Street actress Amanda Barrie, alias Alma Halliwell, is quitting the soap next year. The star wants to move on to something new after 11 years in the show and took her decision after much "soul searching". The 65-year-old star will quit the show in the summer when her current contract ends.
Alma - once married to the show's Mike Baldwin, played by Johnny Briggs - was recently caught up in the armed siege at Freshco's supermarket. Her departure follows a recent exodus from the show, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Among those who have left are Charlie Lawson, (Jim McDonald), Jane Danson, who played Leanne Battersby, and Martin Hancock (Spider Nugent). Barrie said: "As both the show and I have reached special birthdays this year, I thought it was about time I bowed out in the hope that there's one more show in me. "I want to endlessly thank Granada and Coronation Street, but there has to be a time when things come to an end. I've had a very happy time and I feel blessed and proud to have been in the show, but everything has its time."
Barrie appeared in a string of comedy films including the title role in Carry On Cleo, as well as Disney's One Of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing, prior to landing her Corrie role.
She added: "This is something I've been thinking about for ages, but couldn't face up to the emotion of leaving or tear myself away. Now I feel it's time to hand over to the youngsters in the show who I think are so brilliant." A spokeswoman for the show said the actual date of departure would depend on the storylines. She added: "We don't know how she will leave. It is a long way away."

I Can't Corrie On Taken from The Mirror - 24/11/00

Street's Alma, 60, says: 'There's one more show in me'

ACTRESS Amanda Barrie is quitting Coronation Street after a lifetime on stage and screen, because she believes "there's one more show in me".
Amanda, 60, who ran away from home in Lancashire at 13 to seek fame in London, is the star who's done it all - a Lionel Blair dancer who has played Shakespeare, the West End, circus and even Carry On comedy.
But it was as Mike Baldwin's long-suffering wife Alma in the Street that she became a major TV name. Yesterday as she announced her exit from the soap that celebrates its 40th birthday on December 9, Amanda said: "As both the show and I have reached special birthdays this year, I thought it was about time I bowed out in the hope that there's one more show in me. "This is something I've been thinking about for ages, but couldn't face up to the emotion of leaving or tear myself away. "Now I feel it's time to hand over to the youngsters in the show who I think are so brilliant." The strain of commuting from her London home to Granada's Manchester studio has also taken its toll. Amanda bows out after 11 years as a regular in the Street, where she arrived as Alma Sedgewick, became Alma Baldwin for seven years and is now plain Alma Halliwell with a job at Freshco's supermarket. Last night Johnny Briggs, who plays Mike Baldwin, led the tributes to Amanda. "It came as a real surprise," he said. "It's a real shame she's leaving, but I understand her decision. "I'm really, really going to miss her."
Corrie producer Jane Macnaught said: "We are sorry to see Amanda go and wish her well. "She's been a much-loved character and we truly appreciate her loyalty and commitment to the show." Macnaught will be working on an "exciting exit" for Alma, when the character leaves next summer. Amanda made her debut in the soap in 1981, returning in 1989 as Alma Sedgewick, who had split from husband Jim and taken the Street cafe as part of the settlement. She dated Ken Barlow before becoming Mrs Baldwin and finally dumping him over his latest affair . In between, she was stalked and almost killed by cabbie Don Brennan. Last year Alma found a lump in her breast, which proved benign. Keen to land one more meaty role before quitting showbiz altogether, Amanda said yesterday: "I want to endlessly thank Granada and Coronation Street, but there has to be a time when things come to an end." Street sources said she was leaving at the top of her game. One said: "It's a bit like when Thelma Barlow, decided to go as Mavis. Sometimes in life you just feel like you need a change." Agent Peter Charlesworth confirmed that the constant trips between London and Manchester had played a major part in her decision. He said: "It is tough and has become increasingly difficult recently. It's been an emotional decision for her because she's had a lovely time on the Street."

Alma: time I was off Taken from The Daily Star - 24/11/00 EXCLUSIVE by JOHN MAHONEY

AMANDA BARRIE is quitting Coronation Street - because she feels too old at 65.
She will leave her £90,000-a-year role as unlucky-in-love Alma when her contract ends next year.
Amanda, who looks amazingly young for her age, stunned cast pals with the bombshell that she is throwing in the towel after 11 years on the top soap. She tearfully told them: "I feel it's time to hand over to the youngsters, who I think are so brilliant." Corrie sources claim Amanda had found it increasingly hard coping with the pressures of the four-times-a-week show. However, her decision comes as rival soap EastEnders is preparing to outdo Corrie and go FIVE TIMES a week. BBC executives have tightened security at the Elstree studios in preparation for the move early next year. A Street insider said: "Amanda's decision to go has left us shocked. "She's a great professional. You'd never know she was 65. She looks at least 15 years younger." Amanda first joined Corrie in 1981 as Alma Sedgwick. A Street insider said: "Amanda's decision to go has left us shocked. She said: "As both the show and I have reached special birthdays this year, I thought it was about time I bowed out in the hope that there's one more show in me. "There has to be a time when things come to an end. I've had a very happy time and feel blessed and proud to have been in the show." Amanda admitted she has been wanting to leave for some time but couldn't handle handing in her notice.
Earlier this year she claimed playing Mike Baldwin's spurned wife was ageing her. She said: "I wake up with a heavy heart and tell myself it's not happening to you, it's happening to Alma. you're all right."
Last night Amanda - who lives in London's Covent Garden but also has a Manchester flat - was praised by executive producer Jane Macnaught. She said: "She has been a much-loved character and we truly appreciate her loyalty and commitment." TV fans have enjoyed her spectacular sparring bouts with two-timing ex-hubby Mike Baldwin, played by Johnny Briggs. Last night a pal of the actor said : "He was taken into her confidence a little while ago so this is not completely out of the blue for him. Johnny will miss her because they get on brilliantly well."
Amanda has had a chequered history in the Street. Alma enjoyed a famous fling with Ken Barlow before tying the knot with factory boss Baldwin. They wed in 1992 - divorcing seven years later when she rumbled his fling with Julia Stone. Alma's had her moments too - although nothing has ever gone smoothly in her love life. She attempted an affair with Audrey Roberts's son Stephen Reid. She missed out on love with Ravi Desi and fought with Audrey for the love of councillor, Bob Bradshaw until she realised he was corrupt. Viewers are currently watching love blossom with Frank O'Connor. But perhaps her most famous scenes were when she escaped the clutches of Don Brennan, the obsessed peg-legged pervert who tried to kill the pair of them in 1997.
Amanda had something else in common with Johnny Briggs apart from playing his ex-wife. She was Cleopatra in Carry On Cleo, in the mid-60s while Johnny was a soldier in Carry On Up The Khyber.
An ex-chorus girl, Amanda has been married to actor Robin Hunter, 70, for 34 years. They have lived apart for 20 years but never got around to divorcing.

Boredom drove Alma to quit Taken from Teletext - 24/11/00 By Jonathan Donald
Actress Amanda Barrie is to quit Corrie because she's fed up being boring Alma.
Barrie, who leaves next summer after 11 years, told TV Plus: "I haven't enjoyed it, if I'm absolutely honest. "Ever since I joined the Street I've cried, which is not something I normally spend my life doing. It's the last thing I do. "I did comedy all my life and then came to Weatherfield and life got very boring. "I've become like the Street agony aunt because of Alma. Everybody comes up, even members of the public, and asks me for help."
Barrie, 65, joined the ITV soap in 1989 after a long stage and screen career. She is best known for playing Cleopatra in Carry On Cleo.
She told TV Plus: "As someone from a stage background, you are always thinking there's another show in me. "But I do so many other things as well. I'm in Spain a lot, I do antiques, I paint and make furniture. "When you get to my age you have to make time to do all these things before your toes curl up."
Corrie producers are deciding how to write out Alma Halliwell - but the actress wants a low-key exit. She said: "The problem with juicy storylines is how are you going to come out at the end? "People like Don Brennan (Geoff Hinsliff) came out with half a leg. You could end up with cancer or having a bit chopped off. "I'm happy to just toddle off."

Alma to Die Taken from The Mirror - 07/04/01 Corrie veteran to be told she has cancer.

CORONATION Street favourite Alma Halliwell will make a heartbreaking exit from the soap after being told she has terminal cancer.

Actress Amanda Barrie, 65, asked to leave the series last November after 20 years and scriptwriters have promised a sensational storyline to mark her demise.

A source said last night: "We have certainly kept our word, and we believe Alma's sad death has every ingredient to make it one of the all-time Coronation Street greats."

Alma will discover she has advanced cervical cancer which has spread to other organs.

She receives the bombshell news just as she decides to leave Weatherfield to start a new life with security guard Frank O'Connor - Eamon Boland.

They have become close after the Freshco supermarket siege last October.

There will be an emotional moment as Alma tells her best friend Audrey Roberts - Sue Nicholls - about her condition.

Our insider said: "The scenes will call on some tremendous performances from Amanda and she is thrilled at what we have planned for Alma.

"We can guarantee there will be buckets of tears both on screen and back home for the viewers."

Frank and Alma will be seen taking a romantic walk in the countryside next month before she cooks him a special Sunday lunch.

At one stage they give each a lingering kiss and decide they are fed up with inner city life.

The rape of barmaid Toyah Battersby - Georgia Taylor - has particularly sickened them.

The source said: "Alma agrees to go and live with Frank. They decide to make a new start together somewhere in the country and begin excitedly telling their plans to people back home.

"Alma has had her fair share of ups and downs with men in the past and she sees Frank a dependable chap to see out her days with.

"There's even a surprise farewell party planned at the Rovers. But just as it looks as if they are off into the wide blue yonder the devastating news hits Alma."

After confiding in Audrey, the friends together try to come to terms with the gravity of the situation. Audrey advises her not to leave Weatherfield but to die amongst her friends.

Our source said: "Alma is wrestling with her innermost thoughts about what to do for the best. She is agonising about starting a new life away from Weatherfield with Frank.

"But it is Audrey who tells her that she should stay amongst her friends who will be able to nurse her when the time comes.

"After a lot of hard thinking Alma realises that she will be better off staying with the people who have known and loved her.

"So she makes the emotional decision to remain with her friends until she dies.

"We have had some tear-jerking episodes in the past, and Alma's farewell will have to rank as one of the most sorrowful in Corrie's history."

Amanda, who joined Corrie in 1981 for a two week appearance as Alma Sedgewick, became a regular in 1989.

Scriptwriters involved her character in many memorable plotlines. Cafe owner Alma married Mike Baldwin - Johnny Briggs - in 1992 but he dumped her for factory girl Linda Sykes.

She had a fling with Ken Barlow - William Roache - in 1994 and also survived a bid by cabbie Don Brennan - Geoff Hinsliff - to kill her.

Announcing last year that she wanted to leave, Amanda said: "I thought it was time I bowed out in the hope that there's one more show in me. I've had a happy time and feel blessed and proud to have been in the show."

http://www.thisisbradford.co.uk/ Corrie's Alma is back to star with `our' Billy by Ian Midgley Soap fans will bid a tearful farewell to Alma Halliwell this week when the Coronation Street favourite loses her controversial battle against cancer. But the Telegraph & Argus can exclusively reveal today that there will be life after Alma for actress Amanda Barrie who has been lined up to take lead role in this year's Alhambra pantomime. It will be a case of, hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work she goes when Alma rises dramatically from the dead to play the Wicked Queen in this year's production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And the 65-year-old actress will be joined by another Bradford favourite comedian Billy Pearce who will return to the Alhambra for the first time since 1997 when he played Buttons in Cinderella. This time Billy will be playing another comedy character called Muddles. Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, Bradford Council's spokesman for the environment, said: "This year we are delighted the pantomime stars are such household names as Amanda Barrie and Billy Pearce who hold a special place in the hearts of many of our audiences. "Bradford is now well known for being the home of the best pantomimes in the North, and we hope to build on the tremendous success we enjoyed as a city with Aladdin last year." Amanda Barrie hit the headlines this week when furious relatives hit out at Coronation Street bosses when they took over a Salford crematorium to film Alma's touching funeral. Other real services had to be cancelled when Corrie film crews took over the cemetery for the day so that stars including Johnny Briggs, Liz Dawn, and Tracy Shaw could film scenes paying their final respects to the soap stalwart. Billy Pearce is no stranger to treading the boards in Bradford and his Aladdin panto in 1994, which co-starred another Coronation Street favourite Roy Barraclough, broke box-office records taking more than £960,000. But Billy and Amanda will have their work cut out to break Cannon and Ball's recent record after 84,000 people turned out to see their version of Aladdin earlier this year - making £1million in ticket sales. One of Bradford's most famous panto traditions, the Sunbeam dancers, are also set to return in the new production and auditions are planned to be held at Sara Packham Studios, in Oxenhope, later this year. Tickets for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will go on sale on Wednesday.

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