Maureen Lipman has revealed that she is taking a brief break from Coronation Street while she gets vaccinated against coronavirus.

The 74-year-old, who plays Evelyn Plummer, was among a number of cast members forced into a break from filming of more than six months last year after the pandemic took hold.

Lipman returned to set in time to film the 60th anniversary episodes, which aired in December, and is still on screen in current episodes, but told the Outspoken Beauty podcast that Evelyn will disappear briefly over the coming months.

"Well it has been a time that I can't personally complain about except on behalf of the people who have not been as fortunate," she said.

"I continued in Coronation Street after the first initial lockdown. I went back. I am still officially working on it except that I am taking a bit of sabbatical until I get my vaccination at the moment."

"Then they kindly allowed me to be engulfed by Gyles Brandreth on the Gogglebox series.

"I had no idea what it was until I got into it. I thought I would be some sort of pundit. I have always admired that genre but it was basically looking at willies."

Lipman added that she has also been for a walk in Hyde Park with former Corrie castmate Rula Lenska, who "managed to bring a flask of coffee which managed to be cold".