CORONATION Street star Maureen Lipman has sparked rumours that she’s quit the soap.
The legendary actor announced that she has bagged a panto gig over the festive season.
However, her role as Mrs Potty in Beauty and The Beast means she’s broken one of Coronation Street’s rules.
Actors on the soap are contractually banned from working on Pantomimes, which caused upset among stars.
Whilst they are working on corrie, they aren’t allowed to cash in on pantos – they can only be cast once they’ve left the show.
The decision didn’t go down well, especially as EastEnders stars are allowed to take to the stage.
Sources argue that pantomime appearances can boost actors’ earnings by up to £100,000.
A soap insider said: “There is a bit of a backlash from some of the show’s stars over the panto ban.
“A few of them are keen to sign up for appearances but obviously they are under strict rules.
Coronation Street’s shock exits 2024
“There is also the argument of why EastEnders actors are allowed to do panto.”
Maureen will be performing from December 7 to January 5 alongside comedian and magician Pete Firman.
The 77-year-old has played Evelyn Plummer on Corrie since 2018.
Earlier this year she took a brutal swipe at the soap, urging bosses to scrap gritty storylines.
Maureen said the soap should go back to basics, rather than overly dramatic storylines.
She said: “We’ve come to a point in Corrie now where people are getting murdered in knicker factories.
“We’re having domestic abuse. Anything that ticks the box of social problems in the 21st century is going to be in your local soap.”
Speaking on the Beyond The Title podcast, she continued: “Whereas back then you had the freedom to put Martha [Longhurst], Minnie [Caldwell] and Ena [Sharples] in the snug and have a conversation about Ben-Hur.
“It’s never been political but I always like it when the women sit down and go, ‘Ooh, Donald Trump, ain’t his hair shocking.'”
She added: “All those wonderful expressions that your parents come out with, like my mother saying, ‘Ooh, doesn’t a black skirt cover a multitude of sins.’ People talk like that, and we recognise it as true.
