July 1st 2024.
There's exciting news for Coronation Street fans as beloved actress Thelma Barlow has made a return to acting at the impressive age of 95! Thelma, who is best known for her iconic role as Mavis Riley on the popular ITV soap, has come out of retirement to star in a new short film. It's hard to believe that it's been nearly 50 years since Thelma first graced our screens as the dithering Mavis at Emily and Ernie Bishop's engagement party in 1971.
Fans will remember that Mavis quickly became a regular face on the cobbles, working as Rita Littlewood's trusty assistant at The Kabin for 24 years. However, after the passing of her on-screen husband Derek, Mavis decided it was time for a change and left for Cartmel, Cumbria to open a bed and breakfast. Despite her departure, Mavis is still fondly remembered and often mentioned in the show.
Since leaving Coronation Street, Thelma has kept busy with roles in Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies and even made an appearance on Doctor Who. Most recently, she's been making appearances in documentaries celebrating her former co-stars Malcolm Hebden and Barbara Knox. But now, after years away from the spotlight, Thelma is back and starring in a new comedy called Sleepless in Settle, filmed on the beautiful East Sussex coast.
The film has been written and directed by Judy Flynn, who Thelma met while working on Dinnerladies in the late 90s. Their on-screen friendship as Mavis and Rita was a fan-favorite, and Thelma admits it was one of the most endearing parts of the show. However, when asked by Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls if she would ever consider returning to the cobbles, Thelma quickly shut down the idea.
"Oh, I would be far too terrified," she confessed. "I would be scared to do something commercial and in a big studio. The pressure of it all would be too much for me." However, she did mention that filming Sleepless in Settle was a much more relaxed experience as she was among friends.
In addition to discussing her return to acting, Thelma also touched on the recent departure of her close friend and co-star Helen Worth, who played Gail Rodwell on Coronation Street for 50 years. When asked if Helen's exit would be enough to tempt her back to the show, Thelma was quick to shut down the idea. "Oh, don't keep on!" she exclaimed. "Leave me alone...Not many people I knew are in it now."
It seems that Thelma is content with keeping the past in the past, but who knows? Maybe if you were to ask Mavis herself, she "wouldn't really know"! In the meantime, fans can join the 10,000 members of Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community to stay updated on all the latest gossip and spoilers from their favorite shows. And if you have any soap or TV stories, videos, or pictures, be sure to get in touch – the team would love to hear from you!
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