Liz reveals reason for quitting Corrie
Former Coronation Street star Liz Dawn has revealed the reason why she left the popular soap.
The actress quit Corrie because of ill health, after a 50-year smoking habit left her breathless when she tried to cross the soap's famous cobblestones.
The star, who was diagnosed with emphysema five years ago and told she only had a third of her lung capacity left, would be dead by now if she had not quit smoking, her physician said.
Dawn, who is famous for her role as loudmouth Vera Duckworth, filmed the intimate Tonight programme and told Sir Trevor McDonald she hoped that revealing the debilitating effects of lung disease would encourage young smokers to kick the habit.
She said: "Try your best to stop smoking and especially these youngsters coming up now...that are just starting to smoke.
"I want them to watch this programme and really try not to get addicted to tobacco because it is a killer."
In heartbreaking scenes aired last month, viewers saw Vera found dead by husband Jack (Bill Tarmey) when he came home from the Rovers Return, in a tragic twist to their dream move to Blackpool.
The tear-jerking finale marked the final chapter for one of Britain's best loved TV couples.
The documentary is being aired on ITV1 on February 4 at 8pm.
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
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