Julie Goodyear – Coronation Street’s former pub landlady Bet Lynch – has paid a moving tribute to “amazing” actress and “firm friend” Anne Kirkbride.

She was already a regular on the cobbles when Anne, then 18, joined as Deirdre in 1972.

“Anne Kirkbride was one of the nicest and most professional actors I ever worked with during my time on Coronation Street,” she said in a statement.

Julie Goodyear
Julie was a show stalwart (Martin Rickett/PA)

“I was already in Coronation Street when Anne came into the Green Room – she was 18 years old.

“I gave her a hug and made her a coffee and showed her around.

“I remember saying to her – ‘We’ll have to think of something special for your 21st birthday Anne’. She replied ‘Oh, I won’t be here then’ – I said ‘I’m sure you will’ and of course she was. We became firm friends from that day onwards.”

Anne Kirkbride
Anne was a close friend of Julie’s (Peter Byrne/PA)

Julie, who bowed out of her beehive, earring-wearing role in 1995, said: “She had a wonderful gift of a completely photographic memory. She could read an entire script just once and be word perfect. I’d never seen that before or since. Amazing.”

The actress, who later appeared in the ITV soap for a short period in 2002 and 2003, said: “I was also there when Dave, who later became her husband, came into the cast of Corrie, I said to Anne, ‘If he’s a Leo he’s the one for you’, she said – ‘Really?’

“I said ‘Ask him what his birth sign is?’ She did and he replied ‘I’m a Leo’ and that was that,” she said.

“To Dave and all Anne’s family and friends, I would just like to say ‘All my love, thoughts and prayers are with you at this time’”, Julie said, “and to Anne ‘Angels guard you. Rest in peace’.”