The 91-year-old former Coronation Street star may be facing health struggles, but she has vowed to remain positive and has no plans to step back from her career
Amanda Barrie, who turned 91 this month, has opened up about why her fiercely independent streak can sometimes land her in trouble. The former Coronation Street star is currently dealing with two health issues, but has vowed to remain positive and refuses to be looked after.
However, her approach to ageing recently backfired when she refused to accept help while getting out of a taxi. In her column for The i Paper, she revealed that she is currently struggling to walk after injuring her Achilles tendon.
“I recently pulled my Achilles tendon and, at the moment, am experiencing considerable difficulty walking,” she wrote.
“Yet when a taxi driver got out of his cab to assist me, I took off at speed to escape him, then tripped over the curb and did my Achilles even more damage.”
The former Celebrity Big Brother star also opened up about problems with her eyesight, which “has never been quite right for years” since she suffered a retinal vein occlusion many years ago.
According to Moorfields Eye Hospital, the condition occurs when a blockage forms in a vein, usually due to a blood clot, obstructing blood flow.
The exact cause is unknown, but several conditions can make the condition more likely. It is a common cause of sudden, painless reduction in vision among older people.
For Amanda, she said the condition has left her “totally unable to judge the distance and speed of oncoming traffic.” Despite this, she remains determined to maintain her independence and refuses to step back from working.
The actress went on to say that she feels “blessed” to have made it to 91, joking that she doesn’t “deserve” it due to “still [drinking] too much on occasions” and smoking for many years.
“The truth is there isn’t a secret. You cannot choose long life. You are blessed with it. And it doesn’t make you extraordinary,” she wrote.
Amanda is best known for playing Alma Halliwell in Coronation Street, a role she returned to over more than two decades. She also played Bev Tull in ITV prison drama Bad Girls from 2003 to 2006, while her career has included appearances in Carry On films and TV credits including Casualty, Benidorm and Holby City.
She is now preparing for appearances at two book festivals to promote her new memoir, I’m Still Here: My 90 Years, and is also fronting a new Irn-Bru advertising campaign.
As for her personal life, she went public with her sexuality in her 2000 memoir, It’s Not A Rehearsal. Speaking recently on Good Morning Britain, she said she had kept it hidden for fear of losing her job on Coronation Street.
However, after revealing it in her book, she said the reaction couldn’t have been more welcoming. She has been married to Hilary Bonner since 2014.
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