Beverley Callard has spoken directly to fans from a hospital bed, delivering an emotional and deeply personal update only hours after revealing she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The beloved Coronation Street legend, who brought the indomitable Liz McDonald to life for more than 30 years, stunned viewers earlier this week when she disclosed that

doctors had discovered the illness just minutes before she was due to step onto a new set and begin filming. The timing alone felt cruel — a life-changing phone call arriving

as cameras prepared to roll, professionalism colliding with private fear.

Beverly Callard issued a major health update online

Yet if the news itself was devastating, Callard’s response has been anything but. Determined, candid and wrapped in gratitude for the outpouring of love she has received, the actress returned online to reassure supporters that she is facing the fight with courage.

“Thank you, thank you for all your messages, you are truly amazing,” she told followers in a video simply titled Just an update. Sitting upright in her hospital gown, she appeared calm, composed and unmistakably moved by the tidal wave of encouragement coming her way.

She explained that she was at the hospital to undergo further examinations on her lymph nodes and glands — critical steps that will help doctors determine the next stage of treatment. “I’m feeling fine, I’m really positive,” she said, her voice steady, projecting the same resilience that made Liz McDonald such a force on the cobbles.

For fans who have grown up with her, the moment felt intensely intimate. Callard has always possessed the rare ability to make an audience feel like family, and here she was, allowing them into one of the most frightening chapters of her life.

Later in the clip, the setting changed. Beverley was back home, in comfortable clothes, her loyal dog Arthur curled beside her. Relief flickered across her face as she revealed the initial procedures had gone smoothly.

“They tested lymph nodes and things, so I should know by Wednesday of next week,” she explained, outlining the tense wait that now lies ahead. Another appointment is scheduled, and shortly after that — on the 20th — she will undergo surgery, followed by radiotherapy.

It is a daunting roadmap. Operations, recovery, uncertainty. But if Beverley is afraid, she is not letting fear take centre stage.

“I’m feeling really positive,” she repeated, before offering a glimpse of the solidarity she witnessed within the hospital walls. She spoke of the many other women receiving treatment at the same time, their spirits high despite the gravity of their circumstances.

“There were dozens of ladies in there just the same as me,” she said. “They were all positive as well and upbeat, so we’re getting there and sticking together.”

That sense of community — strangers bound by diagnosis, lifting one another through the hardest days — clearly left a mark on her. It transformed what could have been an isolating experience into something shared, even empowering.

Then came a softer moment.

Arthur, seemingly aware his human needed comfort, rested his head on her legs. Beverley smiled, stroking his dark fur. “I’m sure he knows,” she said gently, echoing the familiar belief that animals sense distress. Whether or not that is true, the image was powerful: a woman confronting cancer, anchored by unconditional love.

Within minutes, messages flooded in again.

She is best known for playing Liz McDonald on Coronation Street

Fans praised her bravery, her openness, her refusal to retreat from the public eye. Some reminded her that strength does not always mean smiling; that it is natural to feel anger, sadness and exhaustion too. Beverley warmly agreed, responding to one thoughtful comment with a heartfelt acknowledgment and a red heart.

Others thanked her for turning her diagnosis into a beacon for people walking the same road. By speaking so frankly — about tests, dates, uncertainty — she is demystifying a process that can otherwise feel terrifyingly unknown.

For decades, audiences watched Liz McDonald survive heartbreak, financial ruin, betrayals and spectacular rows. Now, in a twist no scriptwriter would dare craft, the woman behind the character is showing that same tenacity in real life.

Friends and colleagues from across the television world have rallied around her, many saying they are not surprised by the grace she has shown. Beverley has long been regarded as a pillar of warmth backstage, quick with humour, generous with advice, fiercely loyal to those she loves.

Still, the shock lingers. A diagnosis delivered in the narrow window before filming. A weekend that was meant to celebrate new beginnings suddenly dominated by hospital corridors and medical terminology.

Yet Callard refuses to let the narrative become purely tragic. Instead, she is writing a story about hope, early detection and the extraordinary power of collective support.

There is anxiety ahead, certainly. Results to come. Surgery to face. Recovery to navigate. But tonight, Beverley Callard is choosing light.

She is at home, her dog pressed close, buoyed by millions who are sending strength across screens and miles. And in that simple, steadfast positivity, the actress has once again done what she has always done best.

She has brought people together.