The partner of the late Coronation Street icon Roy Barraclough has spoken out about his close-friend Julie Goodyear’s life with dementia.
It was revealed last July that Julie, who is better known to millions as feisty, leopard-print clad landlady Bet Lynch in the ITV soap, had been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative condition.
Bet first appeared in a guest capacity in 1966, before joining the Rovers Return lineup on a more permanent basis alongside the legendary Annie Walker (Doris Speed) and Betty Turpin (Betty Driver) four years later.
During the next 25 years, she would become one of the show’s most much-loved characters, returning for two highly publicised guest stints between 2002 and 2003.
In 1987, she wed one-time rival Alec Gilroy (Barraclough), and the couple’s relationship would continue until he moved to Southampton five years later.
Their friendship was cemented off-screen in Oldham Repertory Theatre in the 60s, and would continue beyond their Corrie departures until Roy’s death in 2017.
It was at this point that Julie and Roy’s partner of over 25 years, Mark Llewellin, would bond over their collective grief, something which is documented in Mark’s new book With Friends Like These.
During an interview with the Conversation Street Podcast to publicise his memoirs, Mark spoke of Julie’s condition and said she is ‘living a good life’.
‘It’s wrong to say [Julie is] suffering with dementia, [she is] living with dementia. It changes what you do and how you look at life’ Mark began.
‘Julie’s been very brave and very strong about that, and it’s changed life for her husband Scott [Brand]. But I have to take my hat off to Scott, he is phenomenal.’
He continued: ‘They always wanted to go public with [her] dementia, on the basis that it could help those also going through a similar thing, and to see Julie in the same position. It brought in thousands of letters from people.
‘Most people would say there’s a crossover between Julie and Bet, and there is, but Bet was strong, brassy and a little bit frightening at times. Underneath there was a very soft heart and a vulnerable person. I think Julie is very similar in those regards. It’s been very nice to [see her] talk about life without that armour.
‘She is a lovely person and I think over the years she has been characterised by the press. [She’s] the best friend you could ever have.’
Describing her as ‘a rock’, Mark said the icon ‘still loves leopard print’, and detailed to podcast host Michael Dodson how her everyday life looks now.
‘I see her at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, and spend a few hours with her and have afternoon tea at her house, which I call leopard print boulevard’ he said.
‘I take her chocolate cake on a Sunday and we tuck into that, well she doesn’t let me have any to be honest’.
He went on to say she is ‘quite happy’ and how she enjoys regular trips out of the house, and in a new image shared with us by Scott, she is seen doing just that!
Earlier this year, Julie and Scott teamed up with The Alzheimer’s Society to promote their new campaign The Long Goodbye.
At the time, Scott said: ‘Not being able to spontaneously go out as husband and wife, holding hands as we stroll along, going for meals together and going shopping – all these losses for me symbolise The Long Goodbye.’
‘I miss the fun-loving wife that Julie had always been – the larger-than-life personality that brightened up everywhere she went, and the smile that lit up every room,’
‘All of this is now slowly fading away and it’s extremely painful for me to watch this deterioration. Julie now struggles recognising people and everyone she meets is called ‘Scott’.’
Julie made her last public appearance amongst family and close friends and thousands of the charity’s supporters at a Memory Walk at Manchester’s Heaton Park in October, with Scott adding at the time: ‘Julie is now living with Alzheimer’s, not suffering with it – and that’s a big difference,’
‘Calling these events ‘memory walks’ is most appropriate; of course, memory is one of the things most affected by this cruel disease, but Julie and I are also trying to make more memories together.’
