After 13 years playing the brash, leopard-print-loving Beth Tinker (or Sutherland) on Coronation Street, Lisa George said goodbye to the cobbles last year, but her journey since has been anything but quiet. From managing a life-changing health diagnosis to rediscovering old passions, the actress is stepping into her next chapter with determination, humour, and heart.

In a recent interview with OK!, the Grimsby-born star opened up about her fears that a rare eye condition might bring her career to a halt. Diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition that causes sudden vision loss, Lisa has been left partially blind in one eye and with no peripheral vision in the other.

‘I feel like my eyes have stabilised at the moment,’ she explained, sharing that while she can still see distances clearly, reading has become a challenge. ‘All writing and numbers are really blurred, so I need glasses for reading, and for driving I have varifocals so I can see the SatNav.’

Her first experience with sight loss came back in 2016, but it was a frightening recurrence in 2022 that led to the diagnosis. While out celebrating former Corrie co-star Katie McGlynn’s birthday, Lisa noticed she couldn’t read the menu. ‘The restaurant was dark. I looked at the menu and it was all blurry,’ she recalled. ‘I remember thinking, “Something is really wrong.”’

A visit to A&E led to a week-long hospital stay, where doctors linked the episode to her diabetes, though she hadn’t yet been fully diagnosed at the time.

The experience shook her, especially as she considered how it might impact her work in television and theatre. ‘When it first happened, one of my fears was, “How am I going to work in a theatre if the stage is dark?”’ She told OK!.

Lisa’s exit from Coronation Street in 2024 marked the end of an era for fans of the long-running ITV soap. Her character, Beth, had become a fixture on the cobbles since first arriving in 2011, known for her fiery temper, loud style, and fierce loyalty to her family, especially son Craig. Her departure was an emotional one, both on and off screen, with viewers left heartbroken as Beth said her final goodbyes.

For Lisa, it was a bittersweet moment. While she cherished her time on the show and the friendships she formed, she felt the time was right to explore new opportunities and rediscover passions that had taken a back seat during her 13-year run.

Even during her time on Coronation Street, Lisa had to make subtle adjustments on set. ‘If we were filming Corrie scenes on the pavement in the dark, I’d ask to be on the inside of the pavement because I couldn’t see the edge of the kerb.’

The visibility challenges have led to her being officially listed as “visually impaired” on her Spotlight CV, a label that gave her pause. ‘That did make me wonder if people maybe wouldn’t want to cast me,” she admitted. “But there is better access now for people with all sorts of disabilities so I don’t let it worry me.’

Lisa’s openness about her condition has also turned her into an advocate for change in the industry. She explained that even basic accommodations, like adjusting the font size of self-tape audition scripts, can make a big difference. ‘When you get asked to do a self-tape, you get sent documents which are usually in a PDF with a small font size. I can’t see the script properly, and I can’t copy, paste and edit it to make the letters bigger.’

Despite the hurdles, Lisa is actively pursuing new opportunities and loving the variety that life after soap offers. ‘I’ve been doing a lot of different things, which I enjoy,’ she shared. ‘I presented an award at the National Diversity Awards recently and met some amazing people. I’ve also become a Board Member of Acting Lincs in Lincolnshire, which helps connect people in the Lincolnshire area to the industry.’

Now in her early 50s, Lisa is also rediscovering personal passions. During lockdown, she dove into history courses, completing diplomas in Tudor history, the six wives of Henry VIII, and Native American studies. And after years of setting it aside, she’s even thinking about returning to the recording studio. ‘I stopped singing when I started Corrie, but before that, I was teaching and performing with a big band. I want to get back to singing again.’

One dream she’s especially keen to realise? A role in a historical drama. ‘I’ve always been obsessed with the Second World War. I used to talk about it all the time with my grandad. I also love the 50s and 60s, so something based in that period would be amazing, too.’

In 2024, Lisa appeared on the cover of Vista magazine for National Eye Health Week and was invited to take part in the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s 90th anniversary celebrations. ‘They asked me to record a section of literature for an audiobook, which I’m excited about,’ she said proudly.

Even with visual impairments, she continues to work in theatre, including a recent pantomime performance where colleagues went above and beyond to ensure she felt safe and supported. ‘At one point, I had to walk off stage, and there was smoke everywhere as part of the show, so I couldn’t see where I was going. But two dancers led me off. It was a small thing, but it made it possible. They were brilliant, so supportive.’

Lisa knows many still associate her with her Coronation Street character, Beth, who was beloved for her outspoken nature, big heart, and no-nonsense attitude. But she’s ready to prove she’s more than one role. ‘I guess a lot of people do think of me as Beth, but I’m not a one-trick pony,’ she said. ‘I did a lot of TV before Beth, and I’d love to do something else now.’

Beth Sutherland may have left the street, but Lisa George is far from slowing down. Whether it’s acting, singing, studying or advocacy, she’s carving out a future defined not by limitations, but by bold, creative ambition.