‘Coronation Street’ bosses have confirmed that Anne Kirkbride's character Deirdre Barlow will be honoured with a funeral on the ITV soap.
The show will pay tribute to Anne, who died earlier this year after losing her battle with cancer, with a funeral described as ‘the biggest the soap has ever seen’.
READ MORE:
A source told The Sun: "It will be the equivalent to a state funeral in soap terms. All the current cast will be there and there may be some old favourites brought back to pay their respects."
Anne Kirkbride
Bosses of the ITV soap began planning the send off after deciding to announce Deirdre's death.
It's also said to be an opportunity for some of Anne's co-stars, who were unable to attend her own intimate funeral in January, to say their goodbyes.
The source added: "Filming it will be incredibly tough for the actors.
"They were all so close to her as a person and it is inevitable that they will be thinking of her and her passing on the day."
Anne's husband David Beckett was consulted by producers and is said to be "very happy" with the arrangements.
News of Deirdre’s funeral plans come just weeks after ‘Corrie’ bosses ensured Anne’s legacy would live on at the soap’s set and studios, by keeping her name on her dressing room door.
Brooke Vincent, who plays Sophie Webster in the soap, tells The Sun: “Anne is still there, she is still around us. Every time we pass her dressing room we see her name and it has been decided that her name will stay there.”
The dressing room is now fittingly occupied by Beverley Callard, Anne’s close friend both on and off screen, who plays Liz McDonald in ‘Corrie’, though Anne's name will remain on the door.