Bet Lynch (also Gilroy) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by Julie Goodyear, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on Monday 25 May 1966. Appearing over 25 years, Bet became a Coronation Street icon. Bet first appeared back in May 1966, but did not become a regular until four and half years later in December 1970. In October 1995, Goodyear made a permanent departure after on-screen Bet was unable to pay her debts and fled Weatherfield. She returned in June 2002 in what was intended to be a permanent return for the character. However, Goodyear quit after just two weeks in what was put down to the exhausting work schedule. The following year, Goodyear returned temporarily in a storyline that accommodated the return of Beverley Callard as Liz McDonald. She last appeared in November 2003. Fans have called for Julie Goodyear to return one last time to the cobbles for only one episode to see Bet finally make amends with Rita over their 1995 fall out over money to buy the Rovers Return She was initially made a barmaid at the Rovers Return Inn and later became the landlady. Bet likes to dress in a way she considers glamorous and has a fondness for leopard print clothes and a beehive hairstyle. This iconic appearance became the inspiration for Freddie Mercury's drag character in the music video for "I Want To Break Free" by rock band Queen.