Hundreds of friends and colleagues of Coronation Street favourite Betty Driver will join her family at her funeral.
Stars past and present from the ITV1 soap will pay their respects to the much-loved veteran actress who played the role of Betty Williams (Turpin) for 42 years.
She became the longest-serving barmaid in the history of the Rovers Return and her trademark lunchtime hot-pot became a famed dish.
Driver, 91, died on October 15 after being in hospital for the previous six weeks.
Former colleagues from her days as a big band singer and film star will also attend the service at St Ann's Church in Manchester city centre, which is expected to be a celebration of her life.
She appeared in more than 2,800 episodes of Coronation Street and was made an MBE in the Millennium New Year's Honours list. Last year, when the soap celebrated its 50th anniversary, she insisted she would never retire from the show. She said at the time: "I love working. I can't retire, I won't retire - I never, ever will."
Driver had originally auditioned for the role of Hilda Ogden in 1964 after a 36-year-career in radio, television and the stage. She was then persuaded to come out of retirement in 1969 to audition for the role of Betty instead.
Following her death, her co-stars on the soap paid tribute to "a wonderful actress and remarkable woman".
Julie Goodyear, fellow barmaid Bet Lynch, said: "We laughed together, we cried together and never once had a cross word. She was a totally professional actress. A true icon and legend, and a very dear friend."
William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, said: "I loved Betty dearly, she was not only a colleague, she was a friend and godmother to my son James. She will be missed in the Street but she will be missed more so as a warm and loving person."
Hundreds of friends and colleagues of Coronation Street favourite Betty Driver will join her family at her funeral.
Stars past and present from the ITV1 soap will pay their respects to the much-loved veteran actress who played the role of Betty Williams (Turpin) for 42 years.
She became the longest-serving barmaid in the history of the Rovers Return and her trademark lunchtime hot-pot became a famed dish.
Driver, 91, died on October 15 after being in hospital for the previous six weeks.
Former colleagues from her days as a big band singer and film star will also attend the service at St Ann's Church in Manchester city centre, which is expected to be a celebration of her life.
She appeared in more than 2,800 episodes of Coronation Street and was made an MBE in the Millennium New Year's Honours list. Last year, when the soap celebrated its 50th anniversary, she insisted she would never retire from the show. She said at the time: "I love working. I can't retire, I won't retire - I never, ever will."
Driver had originally auditioned for the role of Hilda Ogden in 1964 after a 36-year-career in radio, television and the stage. She was then persuaded to come out of retirement in 1969 to audition for the role of Betty instead.
Following her death, her co-stars on the soap paid tribute to "a wonderful actress and remarkable woman".
Julie Goodyear, fellow barmaid Bet Lynch, said: "We laughed together, we cried together and never once had a cross word. She was a totally professional actress. A true icon and legend, and a very dear friend."
William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, said: "I loved Betty dearly, she was not only a colleague, she was a friend and godmother to my son James. She will be missed in the Street but she will be missed more so as a warm and loving person."