Former Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has landed a new soap role, joining the cast of RTÉ’s long-running Irish drama Fair City.
Callard, best known for her portrayal of iconic Rovers Return landlady Liz McDonald on the ITV soap, will appear as Lilly, the long-lost mother of Gwen Connolly, played by Emily Lamey.
Gwen first arrived in the fictional Carrigstown in 2023, with much of her family background kept deliberately vague – until now. The casting was confirmed via RTÉ’s official Instagram account, which shared an image of Callard, who has previously spoken about her mental health battles, in character alongside the caption: “Beverley Callard has landed in Carrigstown. The beloved actor is joining the cast of #FairCity, stepping into the role of Gwen’s long-lost mother. Don’t miss her Fair City debut on February 19th.”
Speaking about the introduction of the character, Fair City Executive Producer Brigie de Courcy said on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland (via Entertainment Daily) that “Lilly’s character had been two years in the planning.”
De Courcy also confirmed that Callard began filming scenes this week, with her on-screen debut as Lilly set to air on 19 February 2026.
Callard played Liz McDonald on Coronation Street on and off between 1989 and 2020. While the character had been lined up for an explosive exit, the pandemic-related shutdown of the soap delayed her final scenes, with Liz’s departure eventually taking place off-screen.
Instead, viewers were told by her son Steve McDonald, played by Simon Gregson, that Liz had returned to Spain.
