Corrie actress Lisa George leaves show due to fears of vision loss

Lisa George talks to ITV Granada's Rob Smith about her time at Corrie and how a rare eye condition is behind her decision to leave.

Coronation Street actress Lisa George says she is leaving the show after 13 years to work in the theatre as she fears a rare eye condition could one day leave her blind.

Lisa was diagnosed last year with NAION - non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, a rare condition where a loss of blood flow and oxygen delivery to the optic nerve causes sudden and painless vision loss in one eye.

It has left her partially blind in one eye and with just peripheral vision in the other.

Lisa says she first developed the condition after being hit in the eye with a rope whilst helping chop down a tree. It struck her other eye whilst driving on a motorway.

Now following her diagnosis she says the time is right to leave the soap: "What happens if I do go blind, I still want to explore as an actress and do lots of other things.

"It was the impetus for me to see what else is out there as I don't want to stop any of those opportunities coming to me."

Lisa has been playing the role of Beth Tinker for 13 years.

Her character married Kirk Sutherland and Lisa says she will really miss Andy Whyment who plays Kirk after working so closely with him for so long.

When Lisa joined the cast in 2011, it wasn't her first time on the cobbles though as she had played three guest roles since 1997

Lisa's last show will be shown on Friday 30 August, she says it's not quite sunk in that she is actually leaving.

"Thirteen years is a long time, the thing I'm going to miss the most is the people and my friends.

Everyone says it's like a family, but it is. You have such a laugh with the crew and everyone supports you."

She added:"We're all on WhatsApp groups and if some one's done something good on of the shows everyone's texting saying well done I really that loved that.

"I don't know any other job where people have done that."

A scene from Lisa's final episode.

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