A lot of people think of me as Beth, but I'm not a one-trick pony'

Lisa George on life after Coronation Street, reclaiming her identity and being an ambassador for eye health

- MITYA UNDERWOOD

Lisa George spent 13 years as Coronation Street’s iconic and outspoken Beth Sutherland (née Tinker), loved for her dodgy dealings and being a protective mum towards her son, Craig. As OK! catches up with her a year after her final (tearful) farewell to the cobbles, she’s determined to prove there is indeed life after soap. Grimsby-born Lisa has also undergone a major health transformation over the last year, with the help of a surgical tweak, and is finally loving who she sees in the mirror.

As well as getting stuck into two history diplomas, Lisa - who competed on Dancing On Ice in 2020 - has also been managing a medical condition which has left her partially blind in one eye and without peripheral vision in her other. She received a diagnosis of NAION (non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy) after years of searching for answers since first experiencing sight loss in 2016, with a recurrence in 2022. In our exclusive sit-down, she fills us in on how she’s coping, and why she’s determined not to let it hold her back...

Lisa, how's life been away from Coronation Street? Busy! I've been doing a lot of different things, which I enjoy. I presented an award at the National Diversity Awards recently, and met some amazing people. I’ve also become a Board Member of Acting Lincs in Lincolnshire, which helps connect people in the Lincolnshire area to the industry. Just because we live in Lincolnshire doesn’t mean you can’t do it.