118-408: Corrie may refer to: Arts and entertainment [ edit ] nickname of Coronation Street , a long-running British television soap opera Corrie! , a play written to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Coronation Street in 2010 The Corries , a Scottish folk group People [ edit ] Corrie (surname) , a surname (including
236-493: A "serial killer" by the media. Todd Grimshaw ( Bruno Langley ) became Corrie's first regular homosexual character. In 2003, another gay male character was introduced, Sean Tully ( Antony Cotton ). The bigamy of Peter Barlow ( Chris Gascoyne ) and his addiction to alcohol, later in the decade, Maya Sharma 's ( Sasha Behar ) revenge on former lover Dev Alahan ( Jimmi Harkishin ), Charlie Stubbs 's ( Bill Ward ) psychological abuse of Shelley Unwin ( Sally Lindsay ), and
354-547: A 1982 poll, she was voted fourth-most recognisable woman in Britain, after Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother , Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, Princess of Wales . Hilda's best-known attributes were her pinny , hair curlers, and the "muriel" in her living room with three "flying" duck ornaments. Hilda Ogden's departure on Christmas Day 1987, remains the highest-rated episode of Coronation Street ever, with nearly 27,000,000 viewers. Stan Ogden had been killed off in 1984 following
472-495: A 45% stake in their independent television studio Blumhouse Television to ITV. Blumhouse is known for their globally successful films such as Paranormal Activity and Insidious . In June 2017, ITV Studios announced that they had acquired Swedish production company Elk Production. In October 2017, ITV Studios announced that they had acquired a majority stake in Italian film and television production company Cattleya , which
590-547: A 51% majority stake. On 1 October 2019, ITV Studios restructured their entire distribution business. The Creative Network division, led by Mike Beale, consists of all of ITVS' unscripted format labels in and outside the United Kingdom, including recently acquired Israeli company Armoza Formats. The Global Entertainment division, based in the Netherlands, focuses on international sales of ITVS' unscripted formats. As
708-1037: A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! , Parkinson , Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway , Tonight , The Jeremy Kyle Show and This Morning . ITV Studios also produces programmes for other UK broadcasters outside of its own network . These include the BBC , Channel 4 , Channel 5 and Sky . ITV Studios is based in London and Manchester , with the centre in Leeds now only home to Emmerdale and Multistory Media (formerly Yorkshire-Tyne Tees Television's then Granada Productions' northern features department). The production centres in Bristol and Norwich closed in 2006 and 2012 respectively. ITV Studios also owns So Television after acquiring Graham Norton 's production company in 2012. On 22 April 2013, ITV announced they had acquired production company The Garden for £18 million; it
826-762: A Hero , Take On the Twisters and Big Star's Little Star for ITV and Coach Trip for Channel 4 . Currently, as of 2022, 12 Yard currently produce shows such as Celebrity Coach Trip for E4, a revival of Eggheads for Channel 5, and the British version of ITV Studios/John de Mol's Let Love Rule format for ITV2, under the local name of The Cabins . A new label founded by David P. Davis, formerly of Sony Pictures Television-owned Bad Wolf , which will be based in Cardiff and operate under Patrick Spence's scripted division at ITV Studios. Big Talk Studios
944-439: A baby girl, Hope . The episode of EastEnders broadcast on the same day as Coronation Street 's 50th anniversary episode included a tribute, with the character Dot Branning ( June Brown , who briefly appeared in the show during the 1970s) saying that she never misses an episode of Coronation Street . On 7 February 2020, with its 60th anniversary ten months away, Coronation Street aired its landmark 10,000th episode,
1062-422: A black family, but all of these ideas were dropped for fear of upsetting viewers. The show's production team was tested when many core cast members left the programme in the early 1970s. When Arthur Leslie died suddenly in 1970, his character, Rovers landlord Jack Walker , died off screen shortly afterwards. Anne Reid quit as Valerie Barlow ; her character was killed off in 1971, electrocuting herself with
1180-497: A dated view of working-class life. Peter Adamson, who had played Len Fairclough since 1961, was sacked in 1983 for breach of contract . He had been warned by Granada Television for writing unauthorised newspaper articles criticising the show and cast. Coronation Street producer Podmore sacked Adamson when it was revealed he had sold his memoirs after the previous warning. The sacking coincided with allegations of Adamson having indecently assaulted two young girls. In April 1983,
1298-468: A faulty hairdryer. Ratings reached a low of eight million in February 1973, when Pat Phoenix quit as Elsie Tanner and Doris Speed ( Annie Walker ) took two months' leave due to bereavement. The audience of ITV's other flagship soap opera Crossroads increased markedly at this time, as its established cast, such as Meg Richardson ( Noele Gordon ), grew in popularity. These sudden departures forced
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#17327837210231416-466: A joint venture production music label. In March 2021, ITV Studios announced that they had rebranded their division ITV Studios Entertainment to Lifted Entertainment, with Syco Entertainment creative director and executive producer Lee McNicholas joining the rebranded label. On 28 April 2021, ITV Studios expanded into Spain with the launch of Cattleya Producciones, an offshoot of their Italian subsidiary Cattleya. In July 2024, ITV Studios acquired
1534-458: A list of persons with the name) Corrie family , a Scottish family Corrie (given name) , a given name (including a list of persons with the name) Other uses [ edit ] Corrie or cirque , a terrain feature created by glaciation in high mountains Corrie, Arran , a village on the Isle of Arran, Scotland A frequently used abbreviation of Corriechatachan , near Broadford on
1652-879: A majority stake in Hartswood Films . ITV will also handle worldwide distribution of their future shows. In the same month, ITV sold their 45% stake in Blumhouse Television back to Blumhouse . In October 2024, ITV Studios acquired a majority stake in British production company Eagle Eye Drama, along with its Belgian-based production company Happy Duck Films, which globally distributes Eagle Eye's programmes globally with Channel 4 's Growth Fund, dropping their 25% stake, whilst ITV Studios will handle distribution of Eagle Eye's future programmes. On 23 November 2024, Sky News reported that CVC Capital Partners , TF1 , RedBird Capital Partners , All3Media , Mediawan and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts had been linked to
1770-410: A new producer, Tim Aspinall. Aspinall decided on a new broom policy and the "Bloody Purge" of 1964 began, with nine actors being sacked in total. The first cast member to be written out was Lynne Carol , who had played Martha Longhurst since episode two and the preview of the programme. Her sacking was so controversial that fellow actress Violet Carson ( Ena Sharples ) threatened to quit, but she
1888-470: A new rival on Channel 4 with the launch of Brookside , and BBC was preparing to launch EastEnders , which would first air in February 1985. Writers drew on the show's many archetypes, with established characters stepping into the roles left by the original cast. Phyllis Pearce ( Jill Summers ) was hailed as the new Ena Sharples in 1982, the Duckworths moved into No.9 in 1983 and slipped into
2006-475: A newspaper reported that Adamson had been arrested for indecently assaulting two eight-year-old girls at a swimming pool. The police complaint was that Adamson's hands had strayed while giving the girls swimming lessons. Granada Television gave Adamson financial support through his legal problems, with a Crown Court jury finding him not guilty in July 1983. Adamson's dispute over his memoirs and newspaper articles
2124-620: A number of the programme's female characters, such as Carla Connor ( Alison King ), mirror the vulnerability of Elsie and Bet. Other recurring archetypes include the war veteran such as Albert Tatlock ( Jack Howarth ), Percy Sugden ( Bill Waddington ) and Gary Windass ( Mikey North ), the bumbling retail manager like Leonard Swindley ( Arthur Lowe ), Reg Holdsworth ( Ken Morley ), Norris Cole ( Malcolm Hebden ), quick-tempered, tough tradesmen like Len Fairclough ( Peter Adamson ), Jim McDonald ( Charles Lawson ), Tommy Harris ( Thomas Craig ) and Owen Armstrong ( Ian Puleston-Davies ), and
2242-617: A one-night stand with Carla, a story which helped pave the way for his departure. In August 2008, Jed Stone ( Kenneth Cope ) returned after 42 years. Liam Connor and his ex-sister-in-law Carla gave into their feelings for each other and began an affair. Carla's fiancée Tony Gordon ( Gray O'Brien ) discovered the affair and had Liam killed in a hit-and-run in October. Carla struggled to come to terms with Liam's death, but decided she still loved Tony and married him on 3 December, in an episode attracting 10.3 million viewers. In April 2009 it
2360-511: A potential takeover bid for ITV plc and a possible break-up of core assets such as ITV Studios and ITVX . ITV Studios is a major commercial TV producer in the UK, creating over 3,500 hours of original programming each year across all genres except news. Its network programmes include, or have included, Coronation Street , Emmerdale , Heartbeat , Agatha Christie's Marple and Agatha Christie's Poirot , Brainiac: Science Abuse , I'm
2478-570: A relationship with con-man Jon Lindsay ( Owen Aaronovitch ). The episode in which Deirdre was sent to prison had an audience of 19 million viewers, and 'Free the Weatherfield One' campaigns sprung up in a media frenzy. Then Prime Minister Tony Blair even passed comment on Deirdre's sentencing in Parliament. Deirdre was freed after three weeks, with Granada stating that they had always intended for her to be released, in spite of
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#17327837210232596-541: A result, Talpa Media became defunct while Talpa Global was absorbed into the Global Entertainment division. The Global Distribution division will handle ITVS' drama and finished-tape catalogue as well as co-financing, co-production and production of scripted series. On 1 July 2020, ITV Studios announced a music partnership with BMG Rights Management (the sister company to ITV Studios' rival Fremantle via both companies' parent Bertelsmann ), which includes
2714-447: A set of ladders during an argument, and murdered his ex-wife Patricia ( Annabelle Apsion ), before going on to kill neighbour Maxine Peacock ( Tracy Shaw ); and attempt to kill both his mother-in-law Audrey Roberts ( Sue Nicholls ) and her longtime friend, Emily Bishop ( Eileen Derbyshire ), for financial gain due to his mounting debts. After confessing his crimes to Gail in a double episode two-hander in February 2003, Hillman left
2832-405: A special crossover event involving 7 British soaps to promote the topic of climate change ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference . During the week, beginning from 1 November, social media clips featuring Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson) and Amelia Spencer (Daisy Campbell) from Emmerdale , as well as Daniel Granger ( Matthew Chambers ) from Doctors were featured on
2950-698: A stake in Danish drama producer Apple Tree Productions, founded by former DR Drama Deputy Head Lars Hermann and Piv Bernth (producer of the hit series The Killing ) who had both left public broadcaster DR (which was the home of The Killing ), Cattleya is also a partner in Vision Distribution, an Italian film distribution company founded in 2016 with Sky Italia , Wildside (owned by ITV Studios' rival Fremantle ), Lucisano Media Group , Palomar and Indiana Production . In April 2017, American horror film production company Blumhouse Productions sold
3068-1097: A then-unnamed business. however, some of ITV Studios' subsidiaries, such as ITV Studios Australia, still carried the Granada name until 2013. In May 2008, ITV Productions announced that they had acquired Swedish-based Scandinavian independent television production company Silverback. On 17 November 2009, the company announced that they would split its main production arm into four separate departments for factual, entertainment, daytime and scripted. In July 2012, ITV Studios announced that they had expanded their operations into Norway by acquiring Norwegian production company Mediacircus. In August 2012, ITV Studios announced that they had acquired Graham Norton's independent comedy entertainment production company So Television . In July 2013, ITV Studios announced that they had acquired production company Big Talk Productions with ITV Studios global distribution arm ITV Studios Global Entertainment taking over Big Talk's programmes worldwide. In June 2015, ITV Studios announced that they had acquired
3186-509: A very nostalgic view of working-class life, Brookside brought together working and middle-class families in a more contemporary environment. The dialogue often included expletives and the stories were more hard-hitting, and of the current Zeitgeist. Whereas stories at this time in Coronation Street were largely about family affairs, Brookside concentrated on social affairs such as industrial action , unemployment, drugs, rape, and
3304-517: A week in 2017. The programme was conceived by scriptwriter Tony Warren . Warren's initial proposal was rejected by the station's founder Sidney Bernstein , but he was persuaded by producer Harry Elton to produce the programme for 13 pilot episodes. The show has since become a significant part of British culture . Coronation Street is currently produced by Granada's successor, ITV Studios , at MediaCityUK and shown in all ITV regions, as well as internationally. In 2010, upon its 50th anniversary,
3422-436: A young lady from a group of thugs outside a nightclub, but was stabbed in the stomach. He died as a result of his injuries. The stabbing brought massive complaints from viewers and Mary Whitehouse delivered an angry sermon about television violence. Between 1980 and 1989, Coronation Street underwent some of the most radical changes since its launch. By May 1984, William Roache stood as the only original cast member , after
3540-471: Is a British television soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced street in the fictional town of Weatherfield in Greater Manchester . The location was itself based on Salford , the hometown of the show's first screenwriter and creator. Originally broadcast twice weekly, the series began airing six times
3658-584: Is a drama label of ITV Studios run by joint MDs Sally Haynes and Laura Mackie. Mainstreet Pictures is well known for producing the hit ITV series Unforgotten . Mammoth Screen is a British television drama production company that was established in 2007 by Michele Buck and Damien Timmer and is a subsidiary of ITV Studios. It produces drama for key British broadcasters, especially ITV and the BBC, and also for international distribution. Examples of Mammoth Screen productions are Endeavour , Poldark , Victoria and
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3776-451: Is a film and television production company founded on 11 February 1994 by Nira Park and was acquired by ITV Studios on 26 July 2013. The company has produced critically acclaimed films such as Baby Driver , Edgar Wright 's Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World , Paul and Sightseers . Television series produced by Big Talk include Mum , Back and
3894-485: Is an in-house division that handles the production of the soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale . ITV Studios Daytime is another in-house division that handles the production for the weekday daytime programmes Good Morning Britain , Lorraine , This Morning , and Loose Women . Lifted Entertainment (formerly known as ITV Studios Entertainment) is the unscripted production division of ITV Studios that rebranded under its current name in early 2021. The label
4012-616: Is best known for producing Channel 4 series 24 Hours in A&;E . In 2013, ITV launched a new production company named Potato . 2016 saw ITV Studios secure a four-year British horse racing deal which saw the Cheltenham Festival , Grand National and Royal Ascot all be shown on ITV. On 14 January 2013, the ITV logo was added to the opening credits of the majority of ITV Studios-produced shows airing on ITV's channels, similar to
4130-558: Is known for producing many ITV programmes such as Love Island , Dancing on Ice , In for a Penny and The Voice UK , as well as programmes for other broadcasters such as Channel 4's Countdown and BBC Two's University Challenge . In June 2021, it was announced that Simon Cowell's new Syco game show Walk the Line would be developed with Lifted Entertainment rather than with Thames / Fremantle (known for The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent ). Mainstreet Pictures
4248-482: Is responsible for sales of finished programmes, formats and commercial licensing deals. ITV Studios Limited's history can be traced back to Granada Productions, which was founded in 1954 as Granada Television's in-house production arm. Central Television Enterprises, Central Independent Television's international sales operations founded in 1987. Central Television Enterprises was later acquired by Carlton Communications in 1994 when they purchased Central, renaming
4366-663: Is well known for producing the 2015 crime film Suburra and the 2017 RAI/Netflix television series co-production that serves as a prequel to it .. In December 2017, ITV Studios announced that they had acquired a 25% stake in Danish scripted production company Apple Tree Productions with ITV Studios' distribution division ITV Studios Global Entertainment will exclusively distribute Apple Tree's shows internationally. Four years later, in March 2021, ITV Studios announced that they were increasing their stake in Danish scripted production company Apple Tree Productions by taking major control to
4484-463: The News of the World quoted actor Stephen Hancock ( Ernest Bishop ) as saying "The Street kills an actor. I'm just doing a job, not acting. The scriptwriters have turned me into Ernie Bishop. I've tried to resist it but it is very hard not to play the part all the time, even at home." This was the first sight the public had of a bitter argument between Hancock and Granada Television. Hancock objected to
4602-753: The Broadcasting Standards Council , Lord Rees-Mogg , criticised the low representation of ethnic minorities , and the programme's portrayal of the cosy familiarity of a bygone era, particularly as many comparable neighbours in the real life Greater Manchester area had a significant percentage of black and Asian residents. Some newspapers ran headlines such as " Coronation Street shuts out blacks" ( The Times ), and "'Put colour in t'Street" ( Daily Mirror ). Patrick Stoddart of The Times wrote: "The millions who watch Coronation Street – and who will continue to do so despite Lord Rees-Mogg – know real life when they see it ... in
4720-456: The ITV network and third-party broadcasters, and is based in 12 countries across 60 production labels, with local production offices in the UK, US, Belgium , Australia , Germany , The Netherlands , Italy , Israel , France , Spain and Scandinavia . ITV Studios not only makes programmes primarily for its parent company ITV plc, but also for other networks such as the BBC and Channel 4 . It
4838-416: The black market . The BBC also introduced a new prime time soap opera, EastEnders in 1985. While ratings for Coronation Street remained consistent throughout the decade, EastEnders regularly obtained higher viewing figures due to its omnibus episodes shown at weekends. The Coronation Street episode broadcast on 2 January 1985 attracted 21.40 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode in
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4956-409: The television ratings and remained there for the rest of the year. Earlier in 1961, a television audience measurement (TAM) showed that 75% of available viewers (15 million) tuned into Corrie , and by 1964, the programme had over 20 million regular viewers, with ratings peaking on 2 December 1964, at 21.36 million viewers. In spite of rising popularity with viewers, Coronation Street
5074-585: The "Granada Media Group" name. In March 2004, Action Time, the Carlton-owned format distributor for game shows which before the merger had operated as a semi-independent company, was folded into Granada's operations and the name was retired. In January 2006, the company assumed the name "ITV Productions" for all produced shows airing on ITV networks, while the Granada name was retained on shows that aired on non-ITV channels, such as Channel 4 's Countdown , University Challenge and The Royle Family for
5192-454: The 1960s. Warren's programme was largely matriarchal, which some commentators put down to the female-dominant environment in which he grew up. Consequently, the show has a long tradition of downtrodden husbands, most famously Stan Ogden ( Bernard Youens ) and Jack Duckworth ( Bill Tarmey ), husbands of Hilda and Vera Duckworth ( Liz Dawn ), respectively. Coronation Street's longest-serving character, Ken Barlow ( William Roache ) entered
5310-547: The 1990s, with comical characters such as supermarket manager Reg Holdsworth ( Ken Morley ) and his water bed. In 1997, Brian Park took over as producer, with the idea of promoting young characters as opposed to the older cast. On his first day, he cut the characters of Derek Wilton ( Peter Baldwin ), Don Brennan ( Geoffrey Hinsliff ), Percy Sugden ( Bill Waddington ), Bill Webster ( Peter Armitage ), Billy Williams ( Frank Mills ) and Maureen Holdsworth ( Sherrie Hewson ). Thelma Barlow , who played Derek's wife Mavis ,
5428-404: The BBC. In 2004, a duopoly had formed, and Granada owned six franchises, whilst Carlton Communications owned five. Granada bought a 64% controlling stake and took over Carlton in 2004 with the amalgamation of ITV. Consequently, programmes produced by all divisions were referred to as 'A Granada Manchester Production', 'A Granada London Production', etc., at the end of credits. ITV Studios comprises
5546-514: The BBC. However, Welsh programmes would always retain the "ITV Cymru" brand. Granada Media Limited was renamed ITV Productions Limited in December 2006. In December 2007, ITV Productions announced that they had acquired British production company behind entertainment formats 12 Yard , marking their first acquisition. In February 2008, ITV announced that they would wind up the Granada brand and merge Granada International and Granada Ventures into
5664-475: The ITV network was officially broadcast in black and white at this point (though programmes were actually broadcast in colour as early as July that year for colour transmission testing and adjustment) so the episode was seen by most in black and white. ITV Studios ITV Studios Limited is a British multinational television media company owned by British television broadcaster ITV plc . It handles production and distribution of programmes broadcast on
5782-549: The Isle of Skye (the tack of a cadet branch of the Clan Mackinnon) See also [ edit ] Corrie Spout , a Scottish waterfall MV Rachel Corrie , a ship named after Rachel Corrie Corey (disambiguation) Corry (disambiguation) Cory (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Corrie . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
5900-518: The Lobby Against TV Violence fiercely objected Granada's decision to broadcast the episode. Granada stated that the storyline was not about violence, but that it aimed to show the desolation and loss felt by Ernest's widow, Emily. Coronation Street had little competition within its prime-time slot, and some critics suggested that the programme had grown complacent, moving away from socially viable storylines, and again presenting
6018-435: The United Kingdom and outside and to be the most ideal production company we can be, where programming producers can do their very best work and that always delivers exceptional television." On 22 April 2013, The Garden was acquired by ITV Studios. It is known for producing 24 Hours in A&E for Channel 4 , Inside Claridge's for BBC Two , and Squid Game: The Challenge for Netflix . ITV Studios Continuing Drama
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#17327837210236136-784: The beginning of 1991 and went on to become one of the most popular characters of the era until her departure in 1996, followed by a brief comeback four years later. The McDonald family were developed and the fiery relationships between Liz ( Beverly Callard ), Jim ( Charles Lawson ), Steve ( Simon Gregson ) and Andy ( Nicholas Cochrane ) interested viewers. Other newcomers were wheelchair user and pensioner Maud Grimes ( Elizabeth Bradley ), middle-aged cafe owner Roy Cropper ( David Neilson ), young married couple Gary and Judy Mallett ( Ian Mercer and Gaynor Faye ), as well as middle-aged butcher Fred Elliott ( John Savident ) and his son Ashley Peacock ( Steven Arnold ). The amount of slapstick and physical humour in storylines increased during
6254-399: The cast payment system and threatened to quit the show to safeguard his principles. The main dispute was between Hancock and Podmore, with Podmore being nicknamed 'The Godfather' by the British media. The basis of Hancock's argument was that different actors were guaranteed different numbers of episode appearances per year, thus some were paid more than others. Actors from the earliest days of
6372-415: The centre of the programme for many years, with Gail still being in the show nearly half a century after her first appearance. Comic storylines had been popular in the series in the 1960s but had become sparse during the early 1970s. These were re-introduced by new producer Bill Podmore who joined the series in 1976. He had worked on Granada comedy productions prior to his appointment. In September 1977,
6490-606: The character's death by delivering an obituary on TV-am dressed as an undertaker . During 1988, actor Christopher Quinten , who had played Brian Tilsley since 27 December 1978, told bosses at Granada that he was going to move to the United States to marry his then-fiancée, American talk show host Leeza Gibbons and to build an acting career in Los Angeles . In announcing his resignation, Quinten tried to ensure that his role would be left open for him to return in
6608-678: The characterisation of the show as a collection of stereotypes. "Rather, remember that Elsie, Ena and others were the first of their kind ever seen on British television. If later characters are stereotypes, it's because they are from the same original mould. It is the hundreds of programmes that have followed which have copied Coronation Street ." In 2024, it was reported that the number of actors appearing in each storyline had been cut in order to reduce costs due to declining viewing figures. Many topical issues have been tackled on Coronation Street, such as rape , including male and marital, historic sexual abuse, underage pregnancy , transgender issues,
6726-399: The company as CTE (Carlton) Limited. In March 1998, CTE was renamed as Carlton International Media Limited. During the merger of Granada Media and Carlton Communications to form ITV plc in 2004, the international division of Granada Media was folded into Carlton International, which assumed the name of Granada International. Meanwhile, Carlton's TV unit was folded into Granada's but retained
6844-540: The creative team behind the worldwide hit Weakest Link and Hat Trick Productions . The company was originally operated as a joint-venture until December 2007, when ITV acquired the company for £35 million. 12 Yard has become one of the world's most successful entertainment format creators, producing hit formats including the BBC's long-running early evening quiz Eggheads , Saturday night BBC One lottery formats The National Lottery: In it to Win it and Who Dares Wins! , primetime feel-good format Holding Out for
6962-464: The death of Geoff allowed social distancing rules to be relaxed on the condition that the crew members involved formed a social bubble prior to the filming. In late 2021 series producer Iain MacLeod announced that the original plans for the 60th Anniversary would now take place in a special week of episodes in October 2021. On 12 October 2021, it was announced that Coronation Street would partake in
7080-452: The death of actor Bernard Youens after a long illness which had restricted his appearances towards the end. Bet Lynch ( Julie Goodyear ) first appeared in 1966, before becoming a regular in 1970, and went on to become one of the most famous Corrie characters. Bet stood as the central character of the show from 1985 until departing in 1995, often being dubbed as "Queen of the Street" by
7198-417: The deaths of Mike Baldwin ( Johnny Briggs ), Vera Duckworth ( Liz Dawn ) and Fred Elliott ( John Savident ). In 2007, Tracy Barlow ( Kate Ford ) murdered Charlie Stubbs and claiming it was self-defence; the audience during this storyline peaked at 13.3 million. At the 2007 British Soap Awards, it won Best Storyline, and Ford was voted Best Actress for her portrayal. In July 2007, after 34 years in
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#17327837210237316-488: The departures of Violet Carson ( Ena Sharples ) in 1980, Doris Speed ( Annie Walker ) in 1983, and both Pat Phoenix ( Elsie Tanner ) and Jack Howarth ( Albert Tatlock ) in 1984. Albert Tatlock's departure came when his character's off screen death was announced several months after the death of actor Jack Howarth at the age of 88. While the press predicted the end of Corrie , H. V. Kershaw declared that "There are no stars in Coronation Street . The show had also gained
7434-559: The entire series. In 2011, Dennis Tanner ( Philip Lowrie ), another character from the first episode, returned to Coronation Street after a 43-year absence. Since 1984, Ken Barlow has been the show's only remaining original character. Emily Bishop ( Eileen Derbyshire ) had appeared in the series since January 1961, when the show was just weeks old, and was the show's longest-serving female character before she departed in January 2016 after 55 years. Rita Tanner ( Barbara Knox ) appeared on
7552-516: The event that his stint in America failed. At the time, his character was married to Gail and the story conference called to write Brian out struggled to find a justifiable way to write him out while still leaving enough scope for a possible return. The decision was made that Brian should die. Quinten was in Los Angeles when the storyline was decided, and upon his return to the United Kingdom, he
7670-677: The first major black character in her role as machinist at Baldwin's Casuals. Ken Barlow married Deirdre Langton ( Anne Kirkbride ) on 27 July 1981. The episode was watched by over 15 million viewers – more ITV viewers than the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana two days later. In the 1980s relationships were cemented between established characters: Alf Roberts ( Bryan Mosley ) married Audrey Potter ( Sue Nicholls ) in 1985; Kevin Webster ( Michael Le Vell ) married Sally Seddon ( Sally Whittaker ) in 1986; Bet Lynch married Alec Gilroy ( Roy Barraclough ) in 1987; and 1988 saw
7788-448: The first time. Early episodes told the story of student Ken Barlow ( William Roache ), who had won a place at university, so found his working-class background—as well as his younger brother David ( Alan Rothwell ) and his parents, Frank ( Frank Pemberton ) and Ida ( Noel Dyson )—something of an embarrassment. The character was one of the few to have experienced much of life outside of Coronation Street. In some ways, this predicts
7906-504: The growth of globalisation . In an episode from 1961, Barlow declares: "You can't go on just thinking about your own street these days. We're living with people on the other side of the world. There's more to worry about than Elsie Tanner ( Pat Phoenix ) and her boyfriends." Roache is the only remaining member of the original cast, which makes him the longest-serving actor in Coronation Street , and in British and global soap history. In March 1961, Coronation Street reached number one in
8024-412: The guidelines set by the British government, and it was confirmed that all actors over 70, as well as those with underlying health conditions, would not be allowed to be on set until it was safe to do so. This included Coronation Street veterans William Roache ( Ken Barlow ) at 88, Barbara Knox ( Rita Tanner ) at 87, Malcolm Hebden ( Norris Cole ) at 80 and Sue Nicholls ( Audrey Roberts ) at 76. It
8142-562: The hands of Aaron Sandford and Paul Foreman 's diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease . New cast members introduced into the soap included Cait Fitton and Claire Sweeney . In June 2024 ITV announced that Coronation Street's third longest-serving cast member, Helen Worth had decided to leave the soap after fifty years of portraying Gail Platt . The character will make her departure in December 2024. Since 1960, Coronation Street has featured many characters whose popularity with viewers and critics has differed greatly. The original cast
8260-428: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Corrie&oldid=1107021495 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Coronation Street Coronation Street (colloquially referred to as Corrie )
8378-550: The majority of the 1960s. Preparations were made to film episode 923, to be transmitted Wednesday 29 October 1969, in colour. This installment featured the street's residents on a coach trip to the Lake District . In the end, suitable colour film stock for the cameras could not be found and the footage was shot in black and white. The following episode, transmitted Monday 3 November, was videotaped in colour but featured black and white film inserts and title sequence. Like BBC1 ,
8496-415: The marriages of widowed Ivy Tilsley to Don Brennan ( Geoffrey Hinsliff ), and the long-awaited union of Mavis Riley and Derek Wilton ( Peter Baldwin ), after over a decade of on-off romances and a failed marriage attempt in 1984. In 1982, the arrival of Channel 4 , and its edgy new soap opera Brookside , sparked one of the biggest changes for Coronation Street . Unlike Coronation Street , which had
8614-402: The media interest. On 8 December 2000, the show celebrated its 40th anniversary by broadcasting a live, hour-long episode . King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) appeared as himself in an ITV News bulletin report. Earlier in the year, 13-year-old Sarah-Louise Platt ( Tina O'Brien ) had become pregnant and given birth to a baby girl, Bethany , on 4 June. The February episode where Gail
8732-569: The media, and indeed herself. The character briefly returned in June 2002 and November 2003. Coronation Street and its characters often rely heavily on archetypes, with the characterisation of some of its current and recent cast based loosely on former characters. Phyllis Pearce ( Jill Summers ), Blanche Hunt ( Maggie Jones ) and Sylvia Goodwin ( Stephanie Cole ) embodied the role of the acid-tongued busybody originally held by Ena, Sally Webster ( Sally Dynevor ) has grown snobbish, like Annie, and
8850-530: The most confident and accomplished soap opera television has ever seen". Black and Asian characters had appeared from time to time over the years, but it was not until 1999 that the show featured its first regular non-white family, the Desai family. New characters Des ( Philip Middlemiss ) and Steph Barnes ( Amelia Bullmore ) moved into one of the new houses in 1990, being dubbed by the media as Yuppies . Raquel Wolstenhulme ( Sarah Lancashire ) first appeared at
8968-421: The network production divisions from its following predecessor companies: ITV Border and ITV Westcountry rarely contributed network programmes, so were largely unaffected by the creation of ITV Studios except for the closure of their local news studios. Whilst continuing to present local programming, these are produced from Gateshead and Bristol respectively. 12 Yard was founded in 2001 by David Young and
9086-696: The new Coronation Street , and sections of the media voiced their disapproval. Having received criticism of being too out of touch, Corrie now struggled to emulate the more modern Brookside and EastEnders . In the Daily Mirror , Victor Lewis-Smith wrote: "Apparently it doesn't matter that this is a first-class soap opera, superbly scripted and flawlessly performed by a seasoned repertory company." One of Coronation Street ' s best known storylines took place in March/April 1998, with Deirdre Rachid ( Anne Kirkbride ) being wrongfully imprisoned after
9204-970: The perennial losers such as Stan and Hilda, Jack and Vera, Les Battersby ( Bruce Jones ), Beth Tinker ( Lisa George ) and Kirk Sutherland ( Andrew Whyment ). Villains are also common character types, such as Tracy Barlow ( Kate Ford ), Alan Bradley ( Mark Eden ), Jenny Bradley ( Sally Ann Matthews ), Rob Donovan ( Marc Baylis ), Frank Foster ( Andrew Lancel ), Tony Gordon ( Gray O'Brien ), Caz Hammond ( Rhea Bailey ), Richard Hillman ( Brian Capron ), Greg Kelly ( Stephen Billington ), Will Chatterton ( Leon Ockenden ), Nathan Curtis ( Christopher Harper ), Callum Logan (Sean Ward), Karl Munro ( John Michie ), Pat Phelan ( Connor McIntyre ), David Platt ( Jack P. Shepherd ), Maya Sharma ( Sasha Behar ), Kirsty Soames ( Natalie Gumede ), John Stape ( Graeme Hawley ), Geoff Metcalfe ( Ian Bartholomew ) and Gary Windass ( Mikey North ). The show's former archivist and scriptwriter Daran Little disagreed with
9322-496: The problem Battersby family moved into No.5. Storylines focussed on tackling 'issues', such as drug dealers, eco-warriors, religious cults, and a transsexual woman. Park quit in 1998, after deciding that he had done what he intended to do; he maintained that his biggest achievement was the introduction of Hayley Patterson ( Julie Hesmondhalgh ), the first transgender character in a British soap. The character married Roy Cropper soon after her arrival. Some viewers were alienated by
9440-466: The programme no longer reflected life in 1960s Britain, a decade that had seen significant economic and social change in the nation. Granada hurried to update the programme, with the hope of introducing more issue-driven stories, including Lucille Hewitt ( Jennifer Moss ) becoming addicted to drugs, Jerry Booth ( Graham Haberfield ) being in a storyline about homosexuality, Emily Nugent ( Eileen Derbyshire ) having an out-of-wedlock child, and introducing
9558-458: The programme, including Pat Phoenix , Doris Speed and Peter Adamson, were guaranteed payment for every one of the year's episodes, regardless of whether or not they actually appeared. Podmore was not willing to change what he called a 'complex and well-established system', leading Hancock to stand by his principles and resign. The problem now shifted, and writers had to write Ernie out but save his wife Emily ( Eileen Derbyshire ). The decision
9676-503: The programme, while events from Holby City were also referenced. A similar clip featuring Maria Connor ( Samia Longchambon ) was also featured on EastEnders . On 24 January 2022, ITV announced that as part of an overhaul of their evening programming, Coronation Street will permanently air as three 60-minute episodes per week from March 2022 onwards. 2023 saw more hard-hitting storylines such as: Daisy Midgeley 's stalker which culminated into an acid attack, Amy Barlow 's rape at
9794-515: The remaining 75% stake in British television production company Mammoth Screen. Later, that same month ITV Studios announced that they had bought Twofour Group. In May 2017, ITV plc acquired production company World Productions . As a result of the takeover, the company became a part of ITV Studios, with ITV Studios Global Entertainment handling international distribution of future series. That same year, ITV Studios also acquired Swedish game show and entertainment programming producer Elk Production,
9912-515: The rest of the United Kingdom outside of Wales as well as international markets, Boom Kids for children's programming and Boom Social for digital content. On 9 September 2020, Boom Cymru, along with Twofour, took over production of some series from sister label Boomerang when ITV shut the label down. Happy Prince is a label of ITV Studios run by Dominic Treadwell-Collins . The Garden was created in 2010 to produce "cutting edge, ambitious, distinctive factual programmes for major broadcasters in both
10030-448: The revived Cold Feet . On 29 June 2015, a majority stake of Boom Supervisory Ltd was acquired by ITV Studios, which had acquired Twofour five days earlier. Boom Supervisory was the holding company for subsidiaries such as Boomerang, Boom Cymru and Indus. The Boom Group is currently one of the largest Welsh entertainment production companies, comprising four production divisions, Boom Cymru, for Welsh productions, Boom for productions for
10148-1059: The right to die, racism , coercive control , cancer , homosexuality , domestic abuse , child grooming , and suicide , among others. Key storylines include: Mike and Deirdre 's affair (1983), the death of Brian Tilsley (1989), Alan Bradley 's abuse of Rita (1989), Kevin and Natalie 's affair (1997), Deirdre is wrongfully jailed for fraud (1998), Sarah Platt 's underage pregnancy (2000), Toyah 's rape (2001), Alma 's cancer (2001), Richard Hillman 's serial killer storyline (2002–2003), Peter Barlow 's bigamy (2003), Kevin and Molly 's affair (2009), Kirsty 's abuse of Tyrone (2012), Hayley 's cancer (2013), Faye 's underage pregnancy (2015), Bethany 's grooming (2017), David 's rape (2018), Aidan 's suicide (2018), Sinead 's diagnosis with cervical cancer (2019), Yasmeen 's abuse (2020), Daisy 's stalking hell (2023), Paul 's MND (2023), Liam 's bullying and suicidal thoughts (2023), and Lauren 's disappearance and possible murder (2024). Between 9 December 1960 and 3 March 1961, Coronation Street
10266-513: The role of Vera Duckworth , Liz Dawn left the show due to ill health. After conversation between Dawn and producers Kieran Roberts and Steve Frost , the decision was made to kill Vera off. Tina O'Brien revealed in the British press on 4 April 2007 that she would be leaving Coronation Street later in the year. Sarah-Louise, who was involved in some of the decade's most controversial stories, left in December 2007 with her daughter, Bethany. In 2008, Michelle learning that Ryan ( Ben Thompson )
10384-535: The role once held by the Ogdens, while Percy Sugden ( Bill Waddington ) appeared in 1983 and took over the grumpy war veteran role from Albert Tatlock. The question of who would take over the Rovers Return after Annie Walker's 1983 exit was answered in 1985 when Bet Lynch (who also mirrored the vulnerability and strength of Elsie Tanner) was installed as landlady. In 1983, Shirley Armitage (Lisa Lewis) became
10502-720: The runtime of which was extended to 60 minutes. Producers stated that the episode would contain "a nostalgic trip down memory lane" and "a nod to its own past". A month later, ITV announced that production on the soap would have to be suspended, as the United Kingdom was put into a national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television ). After an 11-week intermission for all cast and crew members, filming resumed in June 2020. The episodes would feature social distancing to adhere to
10620-537: The series was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's longest-running television soap opera. Initially influenced by the conventions of kitchen-sink realism , Coronation Street is noted for its depiction of a down-to-earth, working-class community, combined with light-hearted humour and strong characters. The show currently averages around five million viewers per episode. The show premiered its 10,000th episode on 7 February 2020, and celebrated its 60th anniversary later that year. The first episode
10738-428: The show for one episode in December 1964, before returning as a full-time cast member in January 1972. She is currently the second longest-serving original cast member on the show. Roache and Knox are also the two oldest-working cast members on the soap at 92 and 90 years-old respectively. Stan and Hilda Ogden were introduced in 1964, with Hilda becoming one of the most famous British soap opera characters of all time. In
10856-403: The show were modernised by new producer David Liddiment . A new exterior set had been built in 1982, and in 1989 it was redeveloped to include new houses and shops. Production techniques were also changed with a new studio being built, and the inclusion of more location filming, which had moved exterior scenes from being shot on film to videotape in 1988. Due to new pressures, an introduction of
10974-412: The show's history based on a single showing. Subsequent episodes would achieve higher figures when the original broadcast and omnibus edition figures were combined. With prime time competition, Corrie was again seen as being old fashioned, with the introduction of the 'normal' Clayton family in 1985 being a failure with viewers, being written out the following year. Between 1988 and 1989, many aspects of
11092-532: The storyline as a young radical, reflecting the youth of 1960s Britain, where figures like the Beatles , the Rolling Stones and the model Twiggy were to reshape the concept of youthful rebellion. Though the rest of the original Barlow family were killed off before the end of the 1970s, Ken, who for 27 years was the only character from the first episode remaining, has remained the constant link throughout
11210-548: The street for two weeks before returning with the intent of killing himself as well as Gail, her children Sarah and David ( Jack P. Shepherd ), and granddaughter Bethany, before driving them into a canal – though the Platt family survived whilst Richard drowned. This came just months after Sarah had survived serious injuries after being passenger in a stolen car which crashed. The storyline received wide press attention, and viewing figures peaked at 19.4 million, with Hillman dubbed
11328-486: The third weekly episode aired on 20 October 1989, to broadcast each Friday at 7:30 pm. The 1980s featured some of the most prominent storylines in the programme's history, such as Deirdre Barlow's affair with Mike Baldwin ( Johnny Briggs ) in 1983, the first soap storyline to receive widespread media attention. The feud between Ken Barlow and Mike Baldwin would continue for many years, with Mike even marrying Ken's daughter, Susan ( Wendy Jane Walker ). In 1986, there
11446-520: The wheels of a Blackpool tram in December 1989, was played out. This storyline gave the show its highest combined viewing figure in its history with 26.93 million for the episode that aired on 15 (and 19) March 1989, where Alan is hiding from the police after trying to kill Rita in the previous episode. This rating is sometimes incorrectly credited to the 8 December 1989 tram death episode. In spite of updated sets and production changes, Coronation Street still received criticism. In 1992, chairman of
11564-614: The writing team to quickly develop characters who had previously stood in the background. The roles of mostly younger characters including Bet Lynch ( Julie Goodyear ), Deirdre Hunt ( Anne Kirkbride ), Rita Littlewood ( Barbara Knox ), Mavis Riley ( Thelma Barlow ) and Ivy Tyldesley ( Lynne Perrie ) were built up between 1972 and 1973 (with Perrie's character being renamed to the better-known "Tilsley"), and characters such as Gail Potter ( Helen Worth ), Blanche Hunt ( Patricia Cutts / Maggie Jones ), and Vera Duckworth ( Liz Dawn ) first appearing in 1974. These characters would remain at
11682-466: Was a fire at the Rovers Return. The episode that aired on Christmas Day 1987, attracted a combined audience (original and omnibus) of 26.65 million – a figure helped by the fact that this episode heralded the departure of immensely-popular character Hilda Ogden ( Jean Alexander ). Between 1986 and 1989, the story of Rita Fairclough 's ( Barbara Knox ) psychological abuse at the hands of Alan Bradley ( Mark Eden ), and then his subsequent death under
11800-590: Was about to leave her for lover Molly. The show began broadcasting in high-definition in May 2010, and on 17 September that year, Coronation Street entered Guinness World Records as the world's longest-running television soap opera after the American soap opera As the World Turns concluded. William Roache was listed as the world's longest-running soap actor. Coronation Street 's 50th anniversary week
11918-452: Was abruptly moved to another Granada department and Carolyn Reynolds took over. In 2002, Kieran Roberts was appointed as producer and aimed to re-introduce "gentle storylines and humour", after deciding that the Street should not try to compete with other soaps. In July 2002, Gail married Richard Hillman ( Brian Capron ), a recently introduced financial advisor who had already left Duggie Ferguson ( John Bowe ) to die after he fell down
12036-693: Was aired on 9 December 1960 at 7 pm, and was not initially a critical success; Daily Mirror columnist Ken Irwin predicted the series would only last three weeks. Granada Television had commissioned only 13 episodes, and some inside the company doubted the show would last beyond its planned production run. Despite the criticism, viewers were immediately drawn into the serial, won over by Coronation Street ' s ordinary characters. The programme also made use of Northern English language and dialect ; affectionate local terms like "eh, chuck?", "nowt" ( / n aʊ t / , from nought , meaning nothing ), and "by 'eck!" became widely heard on British television for
12154-455: Was angered by the firing of her co-star and resigned. The production team lost some of its key writers when Barry Hill, Adele Rose and Julian Roach all resigned as well. In line with Park's suggestion, younger characters were introduced during 1997 and 1998. A teenage Nick Tilsley was recast, played by Adam Rickitt following the departure of original actor Warren Jackson , single mother Zoe Tattersall ( Joanne Froggatt ) first appeared, and
12272-526: Was broadcast twice weekly, on Wednesday and Friday. During this period, the Friday episode was broadcast live, with the Wednesday episode being pre-recorded 15 minutes later. When the programme went fully networked on 6 March 1961, broadcast days changed to Monday and Wednesday. The last regular episode to be shown live was broadcast on 3 February 1961. The series was transmitted in black and white for
12390-404: Was celebrated with seven episodes, plus a special one-hour live episode, broadcast from 6–10 December. The episodes averaged 14 million viewers, a 52.1% share of the audience. The anniversary was also publicised with ITV specials and news broadcasts. In the storyline, Nick Tilsley and Leanne Battersby 's bar — The Joinery — exploded during Peter Barlow 's stag party. As a result, the viaduct
12508-405: Was created by Tony Warren, with the characters of Ena Sharples ( Violet Carson ), Elsie Tanner ( Pat Phoenix ) and Annie Walker ( Doris Speed ) as central figures. These three women remained with the show for at least 20 years, and became archetypes of British soap opera, often being emulated by other serials. Ena was the street's busybody, battle-axe and self-proclaimed moral voice. Elsie
12626-460: Was criticised by some for its outdated portrayal of the urban working class, and its representation of a community that was a nostalgic fantasy. After the first episode in 1960, the Daily Mirror printed: "The programme is doomed from the outset ... For there is little reality in this new serial, which apparently, we have to suffer twice a week." In 1964, Coronation Street appointed
12744-540: Was deemed safe for Maureen Lipman ( Evelyn Plummer ) and David Neilson ( Roy Cropper ) to continue. By December all cast members had returned to set and on Wednesday 9 December 2020, the soap celebrated its 60th anniversary, with original plans for the episode forced to change due to COVID-19 guidelines. The anniversary week saw the conclusion of a long-running coercive control storyline that began in May 2019, with Geoff Metcalfe ( Ian Bartholomew ) abusing Yasmeen Nazir ( Shelley King ). The showdown, which resulted in
12862-452: Was destroyed, sending a Metrolink tram careering onto the street, destroying D&S Alahan's Corner Shop and The Kabin . Two characters, Ashley Peacock ( Steven Arnold ) and Molly Dobbs ( Vicky Binns ), along with an unknown taxi driver, were killed as a result of the disaster. Rita Sullivan ( Barbara Knox ) survived, despite being trapped under the rubble of her destroyed shop. Fiz Stape ( Jennie McAlpine ) prematurely gave birth to
12980-565: Was eventually persuaded not to. The media reported extensively on the storyline, and when Lynne Carol took a private trip to the Daily Mail Ideal Home Exhibition in London, she was mobbed by fans and asked to leave on the grounds of public safety. Many, including Coronation Street writer H.V. Kershaw, saw the killing of Martha as a desperate move to boost viewer ratings. By 1968, critics were suggesting that
13098-590: Was formed from a gradual amalgamation of the production divisions of all ITV plc owned 'Channel 3' licensees which occurred from 1994 to 2004, and for a number of years thereafter following the creation of ITV plc. The division is also responsible for ITV's production facilities The London Studios , 3SixtyMedia (based at ITV Granada , and co-owned with BBC Studioworks ), and location hire company ProVision (based at ITV Yorkshire , with sales offices at ITV Granada and The London Studios). ITV Studios Global Entertainment (formerly Granada International and Granada Ventures)
13216-435: Was made for Ernest to be killed off in a bungled robbery at Mike Baldwin 's ( Johnny Briggs ) factory, where he worked in payroll. Ernest was killed by a single gunshot to the stomach on 11 January 1978. It was the first time that violence on such a scale had been shown on Coronation Street and after the episode was aired, Granada's switchboard was jammed by angry viewers. Letters of complaint arrived in their hundreds, and
13334-470: Was not her biological son, having been accidentally swapped at birth with Alex Neeson ( Dario Coates ). Carla Connor ( Alison King ) turned to Liam for comfort and developed feelings for him. In spite of knowing about her feelings, Liam married Maria Sutherland ( Samia Longchambon ). Maria and Liam's baby son was stillborn in April, and during an estrangement from Maria upon the death of their baby, Liam had
13452-427: Was not known to the public and the media reported that Adamson had been dismissed because of the shame indecent assault allegations had brought onto Granada and the Coronation Street brand. Len Fairclough was killed off-screen in a motorway crash on 7 December 1983. To demonise the character, it was revealed that he had been returning home from an affair, cheating on his wife Rita ( Barbara Knox ). Adamson celebrated
13570-796: Was revealed that Eileen Grimshaw 's ( Sue Cleaver ) father, Colin ( Edward de Souza ) – the son of Elsie Tanner 's ( Pat Phoenix ) cousin Arnley – had slept with Eileen's old classmate, Paula Carp ( Sharon Duce ) while she was still at school, and that Paula's daughter Julie ( Katy Cavanagh ) was in fact also Colin's daughter. Other stories in 2009 included Maria giving birth to Liam's son and her subsequent relationship with Liam's killer Tony, Steve McDonald 's ( Simon Gregson ) marriage to Becky Granger ( Katherine Kelly ) and Kevin Webster 's ( Michael Le Vell ) affair with Molly Dobbs ( Vicky Binns ). On Christmas Day 2009, Sally Webster ( Sally Dynevor ) told husband Kevin that she had breast cancer, just as he
13688-449: Was shocked at Brian's fate and threatened to fly back to America so that scenes could not be filmed. He was talked round by co-star Helen Worth, who pointed out that he might be blacklisted by Equity if he quit the programme abruptly. Brian Tilsley's death was broadcast on 15 February 1989. After the breakdown of his marriage to Gail, Brian started spending his evenings going to discos and meeting up with various women. He tried to protect
13806-544: Was the tart with a heart , who was constantly hurt by men in the search for true love. Annie Walker, landlady of the Rovers Return Inn , had delusions of grandeur and saw herself as better than the other residents. Coronation Street became known for the portrayal of strong female characters, including original cast characters like Ena, Annie and Elsie, and later Hilda Ogden ( Jean Alexander ), who first appeared in 1964; all four became household names during
13924-505: Was told of her daughter's pregnancy was watched by 15 million viewers. From 1999 to 2001, issue-led storylines were introduced such as Toyah Battersby 's ( Georgia Taylor ) rape, Roy and Hayley Cropper ( David Neilson and Julie Hesmondhalgh ) abducting their foster child , Sarah Platt's Internet chat room abduction and Alma Halliwell 's ( Amanda Barrie ) death from cervical cancer . Such storylines were unpopular with viewers, ratings started to drop and in October 2001, Macnaught
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