Kirkbride was planning Corrie comeback three days before death

Anne Kirkbride was planning her 'Coronation Street' comeback just three days before she died.

The late actress, who played Deirdre Barlow on the ITV soap for over 40 years, sadly passed away last Monday after taking three months off work.

Producer Stuart Blackburn has now revealed how she spoke of making her return when he talked to her last Friday, before her condition deteriorated.

Stuart told The Sun newspaper: "She seemed so happy and she was talking about and really excited about coming back to work. She's so missed already."

Her close friend and on-screen husband William Roache (Ken Barlow) spoke earlier this week about going to hospital to see her on the day she died.

He said: "We were expecting her back [on Corrie] in a month or so, until suddenly last Friday we got the call that things were much, much worse."

The 82-year-old actor -

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He added: "I was warned she had lost a lot of weight but she looked like a 16-year-old child. She looked beautiful."

Anne's family revealed yesterday that her private funeral will take place next week.