Corrie's Julie Goodyear is 'living a really good life' amid dementia battle

Julie Goodyear is "living a really good life" amid her ongoing dementia battle, according to a close pal.

The 82-year-old actress - who is best known for playing 'Coronation Street' character Bet Lynch from 1966 to 1995 - was diagnosed with the disorder last year, but her friend Mark Llewellin has now insisted her condition has not dampened her spirits.

During an appearance on the 'Conversation Street' podcast, the author - whose late partner was Roy Barraclough, who played Bet's husband Alec Gilroy on the ITV soap - said: "Julie is living a good life, really.

"She still loves leopard print, I’m pleased to say.

"I see her at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, and spend a few hours with her and have afternoon tea at her house, which I call leopard print boulevard.

"She’s quite happy, she goes out regularly. I take her chocolate cake on a Sunday and we tuck into that - well, she doesn’t let me have any to be honest."

Mark - who lost Roy in June 2017 after he passed away at the age of 81 following a short illness - also heaped praise on his "very brave and strong" friend.

He continued: "She’s good, obviously she has dementia as everybody knows, but it’s wrong to say you suffer from dementia, you live with dementia.

"It changes what you can do and how you look at life. I think Julie has been very brave and strong about that."

Julie's husband Scott Brand announced she had been diagnosed with the disorder last June, in an effort to raise awareness for dementia.

Mark admitted Julie and Scott had always wanted to be open about her condition.

He said: "They always wanted to go public with her dementia on the basis that it could help those going through a similar thing to think there was somebody like Julie in a similar position.

"It has brought in thousands of letters to her."