Earlier this week, Julie Goodyear’s husband spoke of his heartbreak at watching his wife “slowly fade away” after she was diagnosed with dementia last June.
The 81-year-old actress, is famous for playing Bet Lynch, the leopard print-loving landlady of Rovers Return, in Coronation Street for over 25 years, starting in 1966.
However, her dementia is just the latest health tragedy to hit the star after she was told she had just a year to live following a frightening cancer diagnosis.
Julie was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1979, when she was just 36, with doctors telling her she had just 12 months to live.
Miraculously, the star was able to fight off the illness after treatment, but she then experienced her own psychological “hell” during her second marriage, which led to a traumatic nervous breakdown.
Earlier this week, Julie Goodyear’s husband Scott Brand opened up about his heartbreak at watching his wife “slowly fade away” after she was diagnosed with dementia last June.
However, his dementia is just the latest health tragedy to hit the 81-year-old star, after he was told he had just a year to live following a frightening cancer diagnosis.
Julie’s husband Scott Brand, 55, opened up about the pain of watching his wife deteriorate, admitting she has ditched her leopard print outfits and colorful lipsticks.
Scott is Julie’s fourth husband and his journey to love hasn’t been easy.
The star suffered a nervous breakdown after her 1973 marriage to secretary Tony Rudman was annulled when he walked out of the reception.
Tony eloped with his best man on their wedding day, leaving her so distraught that she ultimately spent a month in a mental health clinic.
According to Belfast TelegraphAt first, Julie returned to work right after Tony left and kept her private life a secret from her castmates.
Speaking about her character, she said: “Most of the time I was so much happier being Bet.
“It was easier because of the pain Julie was feeling. It was a blessed relief to be able to put the slap down and transform into someone else. Psychologically, it helped me a lot.
“But in my dressing room, when I took off Bet’s beehive and my makeup at the end of a 12-hour day, all hell would start to break loose.”
Julie is famous for playing Bet Lynch, the leopard print-loving landlady of Rovers Return, in Coronation Street for over 25 years, starting in this role in 1966 (pictured in the exhibition).
The star suffered a nervous breakdown after her marriage to secretary Tony Rudman, which was annulled in 1973 when he walked out of the reception.
Julie also had a public relationship with her PA Janet Ross, who tragically died of cancer in 2011 (Julie pictured in a soap opera in 1985).
Julie eventually suffered a nervous breakdown and spent a month recovering in a mental health clinic.
Meanwhile, her first marriage also left her with deep emotional scars after she remained a single mother to her son Gary.
Julie married Ray Sutcliffe in 1960, aged 17 while pregnant with the couple’s son, but three years later he retired, leaving her alone.
She said: ‘I was a single mother and it was something I was ashamed of at the time.
She was then married to airline executive Richard Skrob for just two years, between 1985 and 1987, but that also ended because he refused to live in the same country as her.
Julie also had a public relationship with her PA Janet Ross, who tragically died of cancer in 2011.
Speaking about their relationship, Julie broke down in tears on ITV’s Life Stories as she admitted: “She and I became soul mates.”
“I don’t know if you’ve found this yet?” I hadn’t done it, before or since. When my mother reached the last three months of her life, Janet Ross was like a rock. You don’t often find partners like that. Amazing.
“Two years ago I got a phone call from Janet and she said, ‘I need to talk to you, Julie.’ I was there within an hour. And we were sitting in her backyard. She said, ‘You know, I almost got the green light.’ I said yes.” She said, “Well, it’s back.”
“My soulmate, and it was his turn now? After everything she had done for me, with my mother and in my life. We’re not talking about sex, we’re talking about good people, real people, kind people. And she died.
Scott and Julie married in 2007, after first meeting in 1996 when he was delivering plaster to a house she was renovating.
Meanwhile, her first marriage also left her with deep emotional scars after she remained a single mother to her son Gary, whom she gave birth to at the age of 17 (pictured in 2011).
Talk to The mirror regarding its deterioration, he said: “I miss the fun-loving wife that Julie always was – the larger-than-life personality that brightened up wherever she went and the smile that lit up every room. All of this is slowly disappearing and it is extremely painful for me to see this deterioration.
He added: “Julie has always been extremely glamorous, never going anywhere without her makeup on. But now lipsticks and makeup are no longer worn and clothes are no longer interesting, especially leopard print.
Scott said he misses the activities they used to enjoy, like romantic meals and long walks, with the hardest part being no longer being able to go on vacation together.
He spoke candidly about the difficulties he faced as Julie’s sole carer at first, admitting it was “killing me”.
Scott, who gave up his career to care for Julie full-time, said he now realizes the little freedoms he took for granted.
He said going to watch football with friends or having drinks was no longer an option because everything has to be planned well in advance and he still has to be sober in case of an emergency and he has to drive.
He said: “For me the hardest thing was accepting and coming to terms with the diagnosis. At first I refused to accept any support, thinking I could cope as we have always been quite reserved people.’
However, Scott soon realized he needed help and admitted he “wasn’t coping”, while taking charge of Julie’s household affairs and finances for the first time.
He said: “Caring for Julie is my priority, but my health was affected and as a lone carer I felt like it was ‘killing’ me. It was like being thrown into a new world where I had to do everything myself.
He said he would advise anyone going through a similar situation to accept help immediately, calling the Alzheimer’s Society a “lifeline.”
Please contact the Alzheimer’s Society if you need help on 0333 150 3456 or visit alzheimers.org.uk
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological disorders
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) that impact memory, thinking and behavior.
There are many types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common.
Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.
Regardless of the type diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own way.
Dementia is a global concern, but it is most often seen in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live to a very old age.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are more than 900,000 people with dementia in the UK today. This figure is expected to reach 1.6 million by 2040.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of people diagnosed.
In the United States, there are an estimated 5.5 million people with Alzheimer’s disease. A similar percentage increase is expected in the coming years.
As a person’s age increases, the risk of developing dementia also increases.
Diagnosis rates are improving, but many people with dementia are thought to still go undiagnosed.
IS THERE A CURE?
There is currently no cure for dementia.
But new medications can slow its progression, and the earlier it is detected, the more effective treatments can be.
Source: Alzheimer Society