Coronation street stars gather to say farewell to Betty Driver

Speakers scheduled for the service were her closest friend and personal assistant Charles Orr, Coronation Street actress Helen Worth and theatre impresario Bill Kenwright who played her on-screen son Gordon

Driver was made an MBE in the Millennium New Year's Honours list and last year vowed she would never retire from Coronation Street as the soap celebrated its 50th anniversary

She said at the time: "I love working. I can't retire, I won't retire ? I never, ever will."

Driver had originally auditioned for the role of Hilda Ogden in 1964 after a 36-year-career in radio, television and the stage.

She was then persuaded to come out of retirement in 1969 to audition for the role of Betty instead.

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568374/s/197a01b0/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cculture0Ctvandradio0C88430A870CCoronation0Estreet0Estars0Egather0Eto0Esay0Efarewell0Eto0EBetty0EDriver0Bhtml/story01.htm

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