Former actress Dawn Acton has revealed the real reason she left Coronation Street, after 11 years of playing troublemaker Tracy Barlow.
On Wednesday morning (August 7), she appeared on Lorraine in a very rare TV appearance since quitting the ITV soap in 1999.
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And we think she looks exactly the same!
While Dawn was not the first actress to play Tracy, she’s arguably the most memorable before current actress Kate Ford took over.
In fact, Christabel Finch played the tot between 1977 and 83, while Holly Chamarette appeared from 1985 to 88.
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Dawn, who starred as Ken and Deirdre’s daughter between 1988 and 1999, now admits she left the ITV soap to concentrate on her own family.
Talking to Christine Lampard while Lorraine Kelly takes a holiday, Dawn admitted she turned her back on acting when she was 22 to play the most important role of her life – that of a mum.
She said: “Last time I was in the programme I was 22. I’d just had my son… My son was a baby and the acting world was precarious.”
Admitting she wanted to choose a more stable path than acting, she didn’t rule out a return, however.
Dawn, now 42, continued: “I’d never say never, you never know and I have done the odd bit of amateur dramatics over the years.”
Dawn was a mere child when she joined the cast, and admits appearing on the iconic soap changed her life.
She said: “Nothing quite prepares you for it, you don’t realise the impact it’s going to have in terms of being recognised.”
She went on to describe her on-screen parents, Anne Kirkbride, who played Deirdre Barlow and William Roache, who still plays Ken Barlow, as “wonderful”.
Dawn said: “They were wonderful. Of all the people to be able to work with, they welcomed me and helped me with my acting.”
Dawn is now a DJ and has been DJing for more than 15 years as well as doing charity work for local organisations.
Kate Ford took over the role in 2002 and has stayed in Weatherfield ever since.
According to The Sun, Dawn auditioned for her old role, but lost out to Kate.
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