Farewell Vera will chronicle how Liz Dawn has portrayed her for nearly 38 years until the character’s death last week.

As well as Liz, 68, the programme will feature Bill Tarmey and Nigel Pivaro who play Jack and Terry Duckworth, Johnny Briggs, William Roache, Antony Cotton, Jenny McAlpine, Alan Halsall and Vicky Binns.

Vera first appeared in the soap on August 19th 1974 when Harold Wilson was Prime Minister and Annie Walker was landlady of the Rovers Return.

More than 12 million viewers tuned in to see Vera’s lifeless body being discovered by a heartbroken Jack last Friday.

Liz said: "It's really sad to say goodbye. My first scenes were in the old factory. I was just so nervous and yet I enjoyed it.

"One day I said: 'We should get more money for this really as we're actually working a sewing machine and acting'. They took the needles out the following week."

Bill Tarmey was moved to tears when saying goodbye and he added: "The way things run in the world now, there would be two dozen reasons for Jack and Vera to split up, but they never have. Till death do us part..."

Julie Goodyear – who played Bet Lynch – says in the programme screened on February 3: “Vera really does embody everything that is Coronation Street.”

A Corrie spokeswoman added: “ She’s gone but won’t be forgotten by Street fans. The Duckworths have become part of the furniture at the Rovers and Vera has become one of the most popular characters in the show’s history.”

Farewell Vera, ITV1, February 3, 5.45pm

ITV.com, the revamped online entertainment platform from ITV, has announced the results of the nationwide online poll in honour of Corrie’s larger than life icon Vera Duckworth (Liz Dawn). The poll coincides with her poignant and emotional exit from the popular soap as Liz Dawn has decided to retire after 34 years.

Over 1,000 soap enthusiasts were asked to vote for their favourite “Vera moment” at itv.com/soaps from a range of action packed storylines spanning the 34 years Liz has devoted to the street. Some of the top storylines include when Vera and Jack bought the Rovers and proudly put their names above the door, to a young Vera rowing with Hilda Ogden over a holiday won on the Bingo.
The runaway outstanding moment as voted by ITV.com viewers with 21.2% of the vote is the recent 50th wedding anniversary of Vera and Jack. The long suffering couple have faced many highs and lows but fans have enjoyed every second and were obviously pleased to see them reach this milestone in their onscreen relationship. In second place with 14.3% is Jack joining a dating company but when Vera finds out she makes sure it’s the last time he thinks about that! Close behind in third place is the prestigious moment when Vera with acknowledged by the Queen with 11.7%.

Top ten moments as voted by fans:

50th wedding anniversary (21.2%): Jack goes all soppy when he tells the whole Street why he fell in love with Vera

The "blind" date (14.3%): With the help of Bet, Vera dupes Jack into meeting her on a "blind" date in the Rovers

A card from the Queen (11.7%): Vera's astounded when the Queen acknowledges their 'relationship'

Vera's stone cladding (9.5%): Vera defends her new brick work when Percy Sugden calls it a "monstrosity"

Vera vs Hilda (9.1%): Hilda accuses Vera of being a liar after she wins a holiday playing bingo

Buying the Rovers (8.8%): Jack and Vera look on proudly as the Duckworth name is put above
the door
Terry sells Tommy (7.8%): A distraught Vera bursts into tears when she learns Terry has sold Tommy to his in-laws

Vera in hospital (7.3%): Jack is by Vera's side when she wakes from an operation to remove a kidney for Paul

Norris dancing (5.5%): Vera and Norris try a spot of Latin American dancing and end up winning a competition

Vera's sex appeal (4.8%): After learning of Jack's philandering ways, Vera tells Ivy and Shirley she's quite a catch

Vera’s departured from the Street on Friday 18th January.

Coronation Street fans are to see a devastated Jack Duckworth stare in disbelief as the body of his beloved Vera is taken away by funeral directors in a tear-jerking finale.

The poignant scenes in last Friday night's episodes will mark the final chapter for Jack and Vera - one of Britain's best loved TV duos.

Vera, played by Liz Dawn, and Jack, played by Bill Tarmey, had been planning the final details of their retirement to Blackpool in the top soap.

Millions of TV fans tuned in for the final appearance of Vera - a stalwart of the Street for the past 33 years, appearing in more than 3,000 episodes.

Liz Dawn has played the loud-mouthed battle-axe since joining the soap in 1974 - but the actress, a lifelong smoker, disclosed last summer she is crippled with the lung disease emphysema.

The actress, awarded an MBE in 2000, now wants to spend time with her family and to "enjoy life while I can".

Liz said: "It was very emotional filming Vera's death scenes but I do think it is the right decision for the character.

"I have had 33 marvellous years in Coronation Street and will miss everyone very much."