A Corrie star, who spent more than three decades strutting along the cobbles in tight dresses and high heels, treads the boards at Norwich Theatre Royal this Christmas.
Wearing an even more extravagant costume than her character Liz McDonald in Coronation Street, Beverley Callard stars as the Evil Fairy in the panto Sleeping Beauty: The Fairy's Tale.
The show opened last weekend and runs until January 7 2024 and her castmates include returning favourites Joe Tracini and Richard Gauntlett alongside West End stars Millie O'Connell (Six) and Karl Queensborough (Hamilton).
READ MORE: ANOTHER Coronation Street character is relocating to Norwich
Callard played matriarch and Rovers Return landlady Liz McDonald in the ITV soap from 1989 until 2020.
Her character had many major storylines over the years, including her marriage to Jim McDonald (Charles Lawson) which turned abusive in scenes watched by 27 million viewers.
As well as filming with the McDonald clan her other highlight was the years she spent working with Julie Goodyear and Roy Barraclough, who played Bet Lynch and Alec Gilroy respectively.
Callard said: "I did nearly get sacked often as I am a terrible giggler and Julie and Roy used to destroy me with laughter."
After leaving the soap she appeared later that year on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here, which was filmed at a Welsh castle amid the pandemic.
Then in 2022, Callard moved from Manchester to Loddon in Norfolk with her husband Jon McEwan and her two black Russian terriers.
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She said: "I left Coronation Street in 2020 and it was a massive decision but I had been there more than 30 years.
"I felt that it was enough and I needed a life, but I will always love it and be loyal to the show.
"Once I had left, I felt like when I looked at a map we were stuck living in the top left corner of the country.
"Our family is all over the place and most of my work is in London, so it was taking me ages to get anywhere.
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"At first we looked at Kent as Jon's mum lives there but it was so expensive - forget downsizing we would have had to live in a shed!
"We then looked at a few places in Suffolk and one of Jon's friends from his army days lives in Norfolk and he asked if we wanted to stay the night before we drove back to Manchester.
"We then had a little drive around Norfolk and we fell in love with it - it makes me emotional how much the people here have adopted me."
Her favourite pubs to visit in the area include the Wheatacre White Lion and The Barnby Swan and she is also a big fan of the Norfolk Broads.
Callard said: "We fell in love with the Norfolk Broads and bought a boat which we have ripped out and are doing up - it is going to be amazing.
"We were going to buy a smaller one but our dogs are enormous."
Since relocating she has had many visitors, including fellow Corrie actor Charlie Lawson who shares her love of Norfolk.
She is also loving her 30-minute commute to the Theatre Royal for panto this year and being able to sleep in her own bed.
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Speaking about Sleeping Beauty, she added: "The panto has everything - it is colourful, it has drama with the dragon and I am the baddie who brings the sinister bits.
"Audiences so far have loved it and everyone works so hard, from the crew and cast to the people on stage door and front of house.
"Come to the panto for a great time and escapism - you will laugh a lot and make sure to come to the stage door and say hello!"
Book tickets to the show at norwichtheatre.org, visit the box office in person or call 01603 630000.
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