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Thursday 31 December 2015

In pics: Look back at Emily's life on Coronation Street

On New Year's Day, January 1 2016, Emily Bishop will swap the wilds of Weatherfield for the promise of Peru.  She's off to see her nephew Geoffrey, aka Spider, Nugent and help volunteer in a children's orphanage with him.  He's always been a good 'un, has Spider.

Actress Eileen Derbyshire, who plays Emily, is set to take a break from Coronation Street. I do hope she will return, but who knows?

With thanks to Corrie.net and Corriepedia, let's have a look at some of Emily's biggest storylines over the years.

Emily first appeared in 1961 as Leonard Swindley's assistant in clothing shop Gamma Garments.

She was briefly engaged to Leonard Swindley but jilted him at the last minute, deciding to wait to marry someone she loved, despite her worry that she was destined for spinsterhood.

Emily tells Leonard Swindley she can't marry him

Emily with Miklos Zadic
Emily married photographer Ernest Bishop as she entered her forties. They got married in 1972 and had a happy marriage but in 1978 Emily was widowed when Ernest was shot and killed in a robbery at Baldwin's factory.


Emily marries Ernest Bishop


In 1974 Emily was one of eight Street women who flew off to Majorca on holiday when Bet Lynch won the pools.
Emily remained devoted to Ernie years after his death but allowed herself to fall in love again in 1980 when she met and married pet shop owner Arnold Swain.
Emily marries bigamist Arnold Swain
Only a short time into the marriage, Emily found out that Arnold was still legally married to his first wife. Arnold later died in a psychiatric hospital.

Emily with lodger Curly Watts
Emily was joined at No.3 Coronation Street by lodgers including Curly Watts, Percy Sugden, Norris Cole, Ernie's niece Freda Burgess and her own nephew Geoffrey "Spider" Nugent, who she was especially fond of as she regretted never having children. Spider even convinced Emily to join him in a protest against renovating the Red Rec.

Spider and Emily in the Red Rec protest, 1998

Emily was almost killed by evil Richard Hillman who was after her money.  Twice, he tried to do her in. Twice, she survived!


Ed, the killer of Emily's husband Ernest arrived and Emily found it in her heart to forgive him.

Emily was always a good friend to Deirdre Barlow, godmother to Tracy Barlow. She's also the person who has delivered one of my favourite, ever, Coronation Street lines. 

"I've always wanted to be stormy, passionate and tempestuous. But you can't be. Not when you're born with a tidy mind."

I shall miss her a lot and hope she might return, even briefly to say goodbye, after the actress takes her well-deserved break

See also: Is Emily's exit a fitting farewell?

See also: Emily Bishop: Born with a tidy mind

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4 comments:

Carry On Blogging! said...


Lovely. Eileen Derbyshire is a fantastic actress and I'll miss her. Like you, I hope she does come back. When she does finally leave she deserves a more fitting final storyline for all her years of service.

Anonymous said...

I love Emily too, and hope she is able to come back after the 6 months. Good old Emily has always been the voice of reason on the Street. Perhaps that role will now be taken over by Roy.

Newfy Pearl said...

I hope that this marks the retirement of Eileen Derbyshire. Not because I dislike her portrayal as Emily but because I would like to think that she has worked long enough in her life to enjoy the fruits of her labours in old age.
Surely there are family or friends she would like to spend time with and one would think she could live comfortably while doing so.

vintgal003 said...

I truly enjoy Eileen...and would very much welcome her back to the cobbles IF she feels up to it..... If she does return...it definitely should be with Spider on her arm.....loved his time on the street!

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!

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