Coronation Street actress Julie Goodyear, who played Bet Lynch in the ITV soap, has been battling dementia, with the soap star’s husband Scott Brand confirming the sad news last year.
After receiving a dementia diagnosis, Corrie star Julie Goodyear’s husband is experiencing “severe pain” from witnessing his wife “slowly fading away.” As part of a campaign that the Alzheimer’s Society unveiled this week, Scott Brand opened up about his heartbreak.
Scott describes in The Long Goodbye how the actress from Bet Lynch has been getting worse. “I miss the fun-loving wife that Julie had always been,” he said, “her smile lighting up every room and her larger-than-life personality that brightened wherever she went.”
“Now that everything is gradually disappearing, it hurts so much to see this decline.” He added that Julie, eighty-one, now finds it difficult to identify people and thinks everyone she sees goes by “Scott.”
“All these losses for me symbolise the Long Goodbye,” he went on. “Not being able to spontaneously go out as husband and wife, holding hands as we stroll along, going for meals together and going shopping.”
Julie, who was renowned for her glitzy appearances both on and off film, has also lost interest in keeping up her appearance. “Julie has always been extremely glamorous; she goes nowhere without her make-up,” he revealed.
“But now, the clothes—especially the leopard print ones—are uninteresting, and the lipsticks and makeup are never worn.”
Before Julie started having health issues, the pair enjoyed taking trips abroad for vacations, but sadly, this is no longer feasible.
He revealed: “Julie used to like traveling and eagerly anticipate our travels together, but this has ceased. We can no longer part, and as I would never abandon Julie, I can also no longer part.
“I had to quit my job to take care of Julie full-time. I felt like I was losing out at the moment because I missed the financial security and sense of independence that came with going to work.
Although the couple had previously enjoyed a drink together, Scott has also vowed not to drink alcohol while taking care of Julie because “I have to have my wits about me at all times.”
After originally rejecting it because he wanted to maintain his solitude with Julie, he has now realized that he needs assistance to help take care of his other half.
In June of last year, Scott revealed Julie’s diagnosis, stating that she had sought medical attention after “suffering forgetfulness.”
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