Soap Star to Take Three Month Break from Coronation Street

Anne Kirkbride, who plays Deirdre Barlow on Coronation Street, is to take a three month break from the soap. Sixty-year-old Anne is taking a sabbatical to deal with personal affairs, according to the Daily Star. Anne plays Deirdre Barlow on the soap Speaking on behalf of the actress, a spokesperson for the soap said: "Anne Kirkbride requested a slightly extended period of leave from the show, a request the company was happy to grant". Deirdre is a long-standing character on the soap, and Anne has played her on and off since 1972. It is thought that she will return to our screens next year. Deirdre on the Coronation Street set with Steve McDonald, played by Simon Gregson