Coronation Street star Maureen Lipman has shared the sad news that her partner Guido Castro has died at the age of 84.

The 74-year-old had been in a relationship with the Egyptian businessman for 13 years but had been forced to spend much of the last year apart from him to protect him from coronavirus.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Lipman - Evelyn Plummer in the ITV soap - revealed that Castro tested positive for COVID-19 just days after receiving a first dose of the vaccine.

The actress, who was given a damehood in October, said that he had been battling a form of Parkinson's disease when he died by her side on Thursday.

"He got COVID - it wasn't COVID that killed him but it weakened him terribly," she told the newspaper. "We don't know how he got it or when or if he had it when he got the vaccine.

"I said to Guido, 'It's time to go. You've got to let go.' And I think for once in his life he actually did what I told him."

Last week Lipman revealed that she is taking a "sabbatical" from Corrie while she awaits her own vaccination.