Julie Goodyear facts for kids

Julie Goodyear (born Julie Kemp on 29 March 1942) is a retired English actress. She is famous for playing the character Bet Lynch in the popular ITV soap opera Coronation Street.

Goodyear first played Bet in 1966 for a few episodes. She returned in 1970 and became a main character for 25 years, leaving in 1995. She made brief returns to the show in 2002 and 2003. For her work on Coronation Street, she won a Special Recognition Award at the 1995 National Television Awards. In 1996, she was made an MBE, which is a special honour given by the Queen.

Early Life and Education

Julie Goodyear was born in Heywood, Lancashire, England. When she was young, her parents divorced, and her mother remarried. Julie then took her stepfather's last name, Goodyear.

For much of her childhood, she was raised by her grandmother, Elizabeth. Sadly, her grandmother passed away when Julie was thirteen. She went to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Middleton.

Acting Career

Starting Out

In the 1960s, Goodyear began her career as a model. She was often a hand and foot model. This led to her first acting role in 1965 in the TV comedy Pardon the Expression. After this, she appeared in several other TV shows, getting more experience as an actress.

Playing Bet Lynch in Coronation Street

A wax figure of Julie Goodyear as her famous Coronation Street character, Bet Lynch.

Goodyear's most famous role was playing the barmaid Bet Lynch in the soap opera Coronation Street. She first appeared in 1966. An older actress on the show, Pat Phoenix, suggested she get more acting training, so she left for a while.

She worked in theatre and appeared in other TV shows like Nearest and Dearest and the film Kes. In 1970, she returned to Coronation Street and became one of its most popular stars. She played Bet for 25 years.

In 1995, Goodyear decided to leave the show. She later returned for a special video called The Rover Returns in 1999. She also came back to the main show for a short time in 2002 and again in 2003. Her 2003 appearance in a story set in Blackpool was her last time playing Bet.

Life After Coronation Street

After leaving her famous role, Goodyear stayed busy. She appeared in advertisements and hosted TV shows. She also took part in several reality TV shows.

In 2005, she was on Celebrity Fit Club and helped her team win. In 2006, she had a small role in the soap opera Hollyoaks.

In 2012, Goodyear was a housemate on the tenth series of Celebrity Big Brother. She was popular with viewers and finished in seventh place. Her last TV appearance was in a documentary called Coronation Street at Christmas in 2019.

Personal Life

Goodyear has been married four times and has one son, Gary, who was born in 1960. She also has three grandchildren. In 2007, she married her fourth husband, Scott Brand. She lives on a farm she bought and fixed up in 1995.

In 2006, she released her life story, a book called Just Julie. In the book, she wrote about her childhood, her acting career, and her experience with cancer.

Goodyear supports the Willow Wood Hospice, a place that cares for people who are very ill. Her Coronation Street co-star Roy Barraclough passed away there in 2017. She has donated jewellery and other items from her time as Bet Lynch to help raise money for the hospice.

Health Challenges

In 1979, Goodyear was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She had to leave Coronation Street for a while to get treatment. She kept her illness private until she had recovered. After her experience, she started a charity to help create the Julie Goodyear Cancer Screening Centre.

In June 2023, her husband announced that Goodyear had been diagnosed with dementia. He said that she had been having memory problems for some time. He explained that her condition will get worse over time. In October 2023, Goodyear and her husband took part in a memory walk in Manchester to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society.