Maureen Lipman walks NTAs red carpet alone despite wanting to show off new man

05 September 2023 , 18:47

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Maureen Lipman wanted to go public with her new man for the first time (Image: Ash Knotek/REX/Shutterstock for NTA)

Coronation Street star Maureen Lipman walked the National Television Awards red carpet alone despite wanting to show off her new man, two years after the death of her partner.

The actress, 77, is best known for her role as Evelyn Plummer in the ITV soap and shared how she wanted to go public with her new “gentleman friend” at television's most glamourous night. Maureen had promised she would take her new partner David along to the award show, admitting it would be a "baptism of fire" for him. It is believed the pair met sometime after her long-term partner Guido Castro, died in January 2021 at the age of 84 after contracting Covid. He also suffered from Parkinson’s Disease.

However, Maureen walked the NTA red carpet by herself. Maureen had previously been married to playwright Jack Rosenthal - who wrote early episodes of Corrie and over 150 screenplays - from 1973 until his death in 2004 from bone cancer. They share two children together, Amy and Adam. Although confessing she didn't think she would find love later in life, the soap star shared it has been a “gift to have a relationship again”.

Maureen with former partner Guido Castro, who sadly died in 2021 (Getty Images)

The actress has gone public with her new man (Ash Knotek/REX/Shutterstock for NTA)

Ahead of the NTAs at London’s O2 Arena, she told the Sunday Express : “I’m going with my gentleman friend David – it’s a baptism of fire for him. The most important thing is that I find a dress.” Speaking about her unexpected relationship, she added: “It’s a gift for all concerned. It’s a gift and he’s been very nice. I’ve met some nice men in my life, some really interesting men, and we will see where it goes.”

After losing her partner Guido two years ago, Maureen said she “no longer races home” after long days of filming Corrie as he isn’t there anymore. In the week she rents a flat in Manchester's Media City so she is closer to work. Opening up on her loss to The Mirror at the time, she shared that because Guido died at the height of the pandemic she wasn’t able to hold his hand as she had to wear full PPE at his bedside.

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She said: “It is unbelievable to have to say goodbye to somebody with gloves and a pinafore on. It doesn’t bear thinking about. He survived COVID in a care home. But he didn’t really survive. It knocked the stuffing out of him. We’ve all suffered and lost people. Life goes on and in the Jewish prayer for the dead there is no mention of the person who died. It’s a thank you for life. The truth is you just carry on.”

Mia O'Hare