Soap actress hospitalised

Coronation Street's Betty Driver is battling a chest infection...

09:00 29 April 2010

Coronation Street's Betty Driver is in hospital battling a chest infection.

The 89-year-old actress, the oldest star on the set, famed for her fiery portrayal as Rovers Return barmaid Betty Williams, is being treated in a private clinic.

Driver is said to be keen to return to work, and her co-stars have sent many get-well wishes.

A source for the Weatherfield-set soap said: "She is probably the most popular person in the cast.

"Everyone wants her to get well and get back on set."

A soap spokesman declined to give details of her condition, stating only that: "It is a private medical matter."

On the ITV soap, Betty is known for cooking up her trademark hotpot. The star has been in the soap since 1969.