Lynne Perrie (born Jean Dudley) was an English actress who played Poison Ivy Brennan from 1971 to 1994.
Biography
Pre Corrie Career
Born April 7 1931, Lynne Perrie began her showbusiness career as a singer and comedienne on the tough working-men's club circuit. Her big break came in 1963 when she won a talent contest and was subsequently signed up to a top variety agency. She then graduated to television, making several guest appearances on the ITV variety show ''Stars and Garters'' and later on the BBC's ''The Good Old Days''. In 1964 she became a regular support act for The Beatles and also appeared on the same bill as the Rolling Stones.
The chance to act came in 1969 when film director Ken Loach spotted and cast her as Mrs. Casper in his award-winning film ''Kes''. When released in 1970, Perrie found herself in demand. She had a regular television role as Mrs. Petty in the ITV comedy series ''Queenie's Castle'' (1970-`1972), in which she co-starred with Diana Dors. Other television credits include the pivotal role in Colin Welland's acclaimed BBC play ''Leeds United'' (1974) and guest parts in a variety of serials such as ''Follyfoot'' and Crown Court''.
Perrie made her first appearance as factory worker Ivy Tilsley in ''Coronation Street'' in 1971, originally on a semi-regular basis, producers were sufficiently impressed with her performances to make the character a full-time regular in 1978.
Corrie
Lynne first appeared as Ivy in 1971 and played the character on a recurring basis until 1978 when she was made a regular cast member.
On the 5th February 1994, Lynne Perrie had cosmetic surgery on her lips without consulting her bosses at Coronation Street. Some sources say she was sacked due to this, but others say she felt Ivy had run her course so had nowhere else to go. Lynne said it was her decision to leave Coronation Street. The exact truth may never be known, seeing as Lynne died in 2006. After having her surgery, Lynne returned to filming Coronation Street, and those scenes were transmitted (meaning the character of Ivy suddenly having much larger lips) but left the show soon after, meaning her last scenes as Ivy aired on the 25th March 1994.
After Corrie
In March 1994 Perrie was told by the then producer Carolyn Reynolds that her contract was not to be renewed. The press speculated that the reason for her departure was the recent plastic surgery on her lips which had dramatically altered her appearance. Both Perrie and Reynolds however always insisted that the real reason was it was felt that her character simply had nowhere to go. Ivy's last appearance in the show was 25th March 1994. Ivy was not seen again, and in July 1994, it was said she had gone to a convent and would not be returning to Weatherfield, meaning Ivy never got a proper farewell scene. In mid 1995, the character was killed off offscreen.
Straight after her leaving the show, Perrie wrote her revealing autobiography ''Secrets of the Street'' which her ex bosses at Granada tried unsuccessfully to ban. She became a regular attraction of the chat show circuit, and in 1995 starred in her own saucy workout video.
A Channel 4 documentary, ''The Ghost of Ivy Tilsley'' in October 1996 celebrated her life and Perrie opened up about the problems in her personal life. Back on the cabaret circuit and working as a celebrity bingo caller, she was shown packing up mementos of her career into cardboard boxes as she prepared to leave her house in Manchester and return to her husband in Yorkshire. She embarked on a semi-retirement to spent more time with her husband and son. She died of a stroke at the age of 74 on March 24 2006.