Lisa Lewis

Lisa Lewis was born Elizabeth Findlayson on 19th March 1964 in Manchester, one of eight children born to jazz singer Blanche Findlayson. With an ambition to become an actress from an early age, she joined drama school after leaving school, changing her name to that of her then-boyfriend, Paul Lewis. She auditioned three times for Coronation Street, being successful at the third attempt as Baldwin's Casuals factory worker Shirley Armitage. She first appeared in September 1983 in what was at first a relatively minor part but the role grew within the programme, culminating when her character moved in with Curly Watts into the Corner Shop flat and she became the Street's first resident from an ethnic background.

Lisa had three children by Paul Lewis in the 1980s although the first, a daughter named Alina Rea, died tragically of cot death. The other girls, Lauren and Georgina, were born during her time on the programme. In 1989 she and Paul split up and she married an Italian restaurant owner by whom she had a fourth child, leaving the Street in April due to the pregnancy. Afterwards she gave up acting and was last heard to be still living in Manchester.