Maureen Lipman's partner of 13 years, Guido Castro, has died aged 84.
The Coronation Street star was at the businessman's side when he died on Thursday, following a battle with coronavirus which left him "weakened".
The actress told the Daily Mail "my heart is cracking" as she shared news of her tragic loss.
Dame Maureen explained of her longterm partner's death: "He got Covid – it wasn't Covid that killed him but it weakened him terribly."
She added that Guido, who had a form of Parkinson's Disease, tested positive days after receiving a dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
'We don't know how he got it or when or if he had it when he got the vaccine,' she said.
The sad news comes after Maureen announced she planned to return to the ITV soap following a "sabbatical" once she herself had been fully vaccinated against coronavirus.
The BT advert star had a “quick and efficient” first dose of the jab on Tuesday, she said prior to Guido's death at the respite home where he lived.
Before her relationship with Guido, Maureen was widowed when her playwright husband Jack Rosenthal died 17 years ago.
Dame Maureen, who plays Evelyn Plummer in Corrie, discussed the death of Jack in an interview with magazine Prima last year.
She said she found it "impossible to grieve" because it is in her nature to try to make people laugh.
Recalling the days after Jack died, Maureen said: "I found it almost impossible to grieve because my nature is to make people laugh.
"And then, I'd feel terrible about the fact I didn't look like I was grieving enough."
In the same interview the mother-of-two called Guido a "lovely man".
The Weatherfield star said: "I haven't always been the best wife, mother or lover - I think I'm a bit hit and miss - but I recognise a good man when I see him."
