Julie Goodyear facts for kids

Julie Goodyear (born 29 March 1942) is a retired English actress. She is famous for playing Bet Lynch in the long-running TV show Coronation Street. She first appeared as Bet for a few episodes in 1966. Then, she became a regular character from 1970 to 1995. She came back for short visits in 2002 and 2003.

For her role in Coronation Street, Julie won a special award in 1995. She was also made an MBE in 1996. This is an honour given by the King or Queen for special achievements.

Early Life and Family

Julie Goodyear was born on 29 March 1942 in Heywood, Lancashire. Her birth name was Julie Kemp. Her parents divorced when she was six years old. Her mother later married William Goodyear, whose last name Julie took.

Julie was mostly raised by her grandmother, Elizabeth Duckworth. Her grandmother passed away when Julie was thirteen. Julie went to St Anne's Academy in Middleton for her education.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in Acting

Julie Goodyear started her career in the 1960s as a model. She mostly modeled hands and feet. This led to her first acting job in 1965. She had a small role in the TV comedy Pardon the Expression. The next year, she appeared in the show three more times.

Between 1965 and 1966, she also appeared in the crime show The Man in Room 17. She was also in an episode of Play of the Week in 1966.

Becoming Famous on Coronation Street

A waxwork of Julie Goodyear as her Coronation Street character Bet Lynch.

Julie Goodyear is best known for playing the barmaid Bet Lynch in the TV soap opera Coronation Street. She first appeared briefly in 1966. A senior actress, Pat Phoenix, told her to get more training. So, Julie left to join the Oldham Repertory Theatre.

During this time, she appeared in other TV shows. These included Mr. Rose and The Fellows in 1967. She was also in City '68, Spindoe, and Nearest and Dearest in 1968. She also had a small part in the film Kes in 1969.

Julie returned to Coronation Street in 1970. She stayed on the show for 25 years! She left in 1995. This was shortly after she won a Lifetime Achievement Award for her role as Bet Lynch. She returned to play Bet again in 1999 for a special home video.

In 2002, it was announced that Julie would come back to the show. She planned to stay for a year. However, she had to leave after only seventeen days. The busy filming schedule made her very tired. She came back again in 2003 for a storyline set in Blackpool. These were her last appearances on the show.

Life After Coronation Street

After leaving Coronation Street, Julie Goodyear did many other things. In 1996, she appeared in commercials for Shredded Wheat. She also hosted a show called Live Time in 1999. She even worked as a DJ on Manchester Talk Radio.

In 2001, she was in the comedy show Revolver. She also appeared on the game show Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. In 2004, she won the first series of the reality show I'm Famous and Frightened!.

In 2005, Julie joined the reality show Celebrity Fit Club. She was a team captain for a while. She lost weight and her team won the show.

She appeared in other reality shows like Road Raja and Age Swap. She also played Marlene Dietrich on Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes. In 2006, she had a small role in the film Tug of War. She also appeared briefly in the TV show Hollyoaks.

In 2007, she was interviewed by Piers Morgan for a TV series. In 2008, she appeared on All Star Mr & Mrs with her husband. She also played Sarah Harding's mother in a Christmas show. In 2009, she starred in the play Calendar Girls on the West End stage. She had to leave early due to illness. In 2010, she was on a Coronation Street special of Come Dine with Me.

In 2012, Julie was a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother. She was the seventh person to leave the house.

Julie appeared on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2013. In 2017, she was in a BBC documentary called Queer as Art. Her last TV appearance was in 2019 for a documentary about Coronation Street.

Personal Life

Julie Goodyear has been married four times. Her first marriage was to Ray Sutcliffe when she was 17. She had her son, Gary, in 1960. Her second marriage was to Tony Rudman. Her third marriage in 1985 was to Richard Skrob from America. She married her fourth husband, Scott Brand, in 2007. They had been together for eleven years. Julie has three grandchildren.

She lives with her husband in Heywood, where she has lived her whole life. She bought and updated a property called Primrose Hill Farm in 1995.

Her book, Just Julie, came out in 2006. In the book, she talked about her childhood and her time on Coronation Street. Julie supports Willow Wood Hospice. This is where her Coronation Street co-star Roy Barraclough passed away. She has given some of her character Bet Lynch's jewellery to help raise money for the hospice.

Health

In 1979, Julie took a break from Coronation Street. She had a health issue that she kept private until she recovered. After this, she started a charity. This charity led to the creation of the Julie Goodyear Cancer Screening Centre.

In June 2023, Julie's husband, Scott Brand, shared that she had been diagnosed with dementia. He said she had been "suffering [from] forgetfulness for some time." He explained that her condition would get worse. After her diagnosis, Julie and her husband took part in a memory walk in Heaton Park, Manchester. This was to support the Alzheimer's Society. In March 2024, her husband said it was hard to watch her condition change.

Awards and Honours

Julie Goodyear was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1996. This was for her contributions to television drama.

Filmography

As Actress

As Herself

Stage Performances