Elizabeth Theresa "Bet" Lynch (also Gilroy) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street.

In October 1995, Goodyear made a permanent departure in a storyline which saw Bet unable to raise the funds to purchase the Freehold of the Rovers Return and subsequently flee Weatherfield.

Her style partly inspired the look for Freddie Mercury's drag character in the 1984 music video for "I Want to Break Free" by rock band Queen.

The publication that gave a little background to the character prior to appearing onscreen said: "Julie aged 22 has been working for a model sometime, but has also been on the files at Granada.

When it was decided to inject more life into the series, she was offered the part as Bet, a typical Lancashire mill girl, who will be working at the new factory which is opening in 'the Street'.

She quickly departs with the explanation she has moved away (actress Patricia Phoenix was also rumoured to have told Goodyear to return to the programme when she gained a little more acting experience).

Bet returns in 1970, when she shares a flat with Irma Barlow (Sandra Gough), who put a down payment on it with the help of Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson) and Ray Langton (Neville Buswell).

Actress Julie Goodyear was offered the supporting role of Bet Lynch for a period of six weeks by Lucy Clayton, which she took without hesitation.

According to an interview with Goodyear on Piers Morgan's You Can't Fire Me, I'm Famous, she wanted to leave on a high whilst the character was still fondly regarded.

In the years following Bet's departure, ratings for Coronation Street started to become overtaken by rival soap EastEnders, with long-term viewers complaining that storylines in Weatherfield were becoming increasingly depressing.

Julie Goodyear was offered a one-year contract to reprise the character, and Bet returned to Weatherfield in June 2002 for Betty Williams' retirement party at the Rovers.

In March 2010, it was reported on Digital Spy that Bet was set to make a comeback in an attempt by the newly appointed producer Phil Collinson to try to restore the show to its 'golden days'.

[6] She has been described as having a feisty personality and has learned through the hard knocks in her life how to fight her corner, a survivor, somewhat wary of men, she can get her teeth into most things then gives as good as she gets.

Her appearance was also the inspiration for Freddie Mercury's drag character in the music video for I Want To Break Free, by rock band Queen.

She leaves a few weeks later but returns to Coronation Street in 1970 when she bumps into Irma Barlow (Sandra Gough), remembering her from when she worked with her at the factory four years earlier.

She has numerous relationships with many people, including well-known Street residents such as Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson) and Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs).

In April 1975, Bet receives news that her 19-year-old son Martin (who she gave up for adoption when he was a baby) had died in a car crash in Northern Ireland, where he had been serving as a soldier.

Bet becomes notable for standing her ground in The Rovers, frequently engaging in verbal spats with the likes of Hilda Ogden, Elsie Tanner and Vera Duckworth.

Club owner Alec Gilroy (Roy Barraclough) offers her a loan but she can't pay him back so flees to Spain for a few weeks.

The marriage goes better than expected, and Bet falls pregnant in 1988 at the age of 48 (more than 30 years after giving birth to Martin), only to lose the baby in an early miscarriage.

Bet and Alec look after Vicky whilst she is on holidays from her private school but become concerned when she starts to become friends with Steve and Andy MacDonald who lead her astray.

Bet supports Ken Barlow (William Roache), who has become suicidal over his split from wife Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride), and prevents him from overdosing on pills on New Year's Day 1991.

Richard Wilmore frequently visits the Rovers Return and is initially less than happy that Bet is resistant to organising events like Quiz Nights in order to improve revenue but grudgingly agrees to extend her contract after the probationary period is completed.

In October of the same year, Bet receives news from Newton & Ridley that they are selling The Rovers and a number of other pubs in order to focus on more family sized ventures.

Bet secretly departs from Weatherfield the same day by taxi- only Don Brennan is aware of her departure initially before the rest of the street find out.

Bet is also due to marry former Brewery boss Cecil Newton (George Baker), but this does not happen, as he dies of a heart attack on the wedding day.

[9] In Dorothy Catherine Anger's book "Other worlds: society seen through soap opera" she brands Bet a "tarty woman" who has the ability to "attract men like bees to honey".

Bet was featured and they described her as "the undisputed Queen of The Rovers Return, a brassy blonde with a smile as broad as a crocodile's and a razor-sharp wit that hid a vulnerable woman who more than anything longed to be loved.