Coronation Street legend, 93, in huge update six years after retiring from show

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Eileen Derbyshire portrayed Emily Bishop on the ITV soap Coronation Street for 58 years, from 1961 to 2019.

A Coronation Street star’s son has provided an update on his actress mother six years after her last appearance on the show. Eileen Derbyshire, 93, rose to fame as ITV soap legend Emily Bishop, first taking on the role in 1961 before stepping away from acting in 2016. Though she briefly reprised her role in 2019 through a video call appearance, she has largely stayed out of the public eye since retiring.

On-screen, Emily resides in Edinburgh after spending years volunteering in Peru. In reality, Eileen has maintained a very private life, with her son Oliver – a sports journalist – offering a rare insight to fans. Speaking to The Times, he described his mother as “private, and one of the last of a dying breed of old-fashioned actresses who act for the love of it rather than for publicity.” Lately, Oliver has been sharing pieces from his mother’s archive, including old Coronation Street props, cast photos, and a framed collage marking the soap’s 30th anniversary.

He shared on social media: “Back at my mum’s place. Found these packed away. Halcyon days of Coronation Street.” Regarding the collage, he explained: “Still in its wrapping – a photo marking the 30th anniversary of the Street’s beginning.”

A concerned fan asked, “I’m loving these memories, but is your mum okay?” Oliver reassured them, saying, “She’s doing OK. That’s kind of you to ask. She’s 93 now, so she has a few health issues, but she’s well cared for and happy.”

In 2021, Eileen faced personal heartbreak when her husband of 55 years passed away following a battle with Alzheimer’s. Thomas W. Holt met Eileen in 1964, and they made their home in a Cheshire cottage before welcoming their son, Oliver.

Oliver spoke about his father, saying, “Even in the depths of his battle with Alzheimer’s, my dad never forgot Stockport. He longed to return and revisit the places of his youth. At times, he would even ask me for bus fare to make the journey.”

He continued, “By the time I arrived, he was unconscious, but as I sat by his bedside for a while, I told him I’d watched the home game against Sutton United just 10 days earlier.

“I shared that when I took my seat, I made a point of glancing over—just as I always do—toward Section A, where we sat the very first time he took me to Edgeley Park. I told him I could still picture the man in the sheepskin jacket and could still catch the scent of cigar smoke.”

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