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Wednesday 10 May 2017

Is Corrie's Michelle the new Elsie Tanner?

Kym Marsh as Elsie Tanner in the ill-fated Coronation Street musical

I was thinking the other night, as you do, that Coronation Street is still missing two important character types from the show.

One of those is the battle-axe, a soap stalwart since the days of Ena Sharples through to Blanche Hunt.  And another character type that I think Corrie is missing is that of the soap siren.

We did wonder if Carla Connor was being moulded into the role of the siren, the role that Pat Phoenix made her own as Elsie Tanner.  

But since Carla left, in a very disappointing end for a new life by the seaside, there hasn't been anyone to step into stilettos and click-clack across the cobbles to claim they're the next siren of the Street. And no, Fat Brenda doesn't count.

Thinking of the current women in the cast, none of them can hold a candle to Carla or to Elsie... apart from one. I'm going to pull on my hard hat for all the flak that will inevitably be thrown my way for even suggesting this... but could the next Siren of the Street be Michelle Connor? 

Or is there anyone else right now that you think has the potential to be the new Elsie Tanner?

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18 comments:

Laura said...

Haha slim pickings indeed if that's the case...I think Liz McDonald leaned that way at times, but didn't quite make it there.

Rana was introduced as a flirtatious character who appeared to attract drama and men easily. But they squelched that potential by pairing her off so quickly with Zeedan and then bundling her off to the sidelines.

Laura said...

Haha slim pickings indeed if that's the case...I think Liz McDonald leaned that way at times, but didn't quite make it there.

Rana was introduced as a flirtatious character who appeared to attract drama and men easily. But they squelched that potential by pairing her off so quickly with Zeedan and then bundling her off to the sidelines.

Humpty Dumpty said...

Elsie outraged residents with her lack of morals. Nobody's got morals on Corrie these days! Sirens, sex goddesses, vamps - they belong to another age. If you mean Michelle has the looks and confidence to attract men, well, probably, that's true. Actually, I think Elsie was another age-old archetype - 'the tart with a heart' - just as Bet Lynch was. Michelle can't qualify for that one as she's missing the vital ingredient. However,hard hat time here, I'd say Carla fully qualified for that role.

C in Canada said...

Michelle doesn't hold a candle to Carla.

Derelict Cucumberpatch said...

Michelle nor Carla hold a candle to Elsie.

Rebecca said...

Humpty nailed it for me.

dulyquoted said...

Elsie was always a woman, not a girl. Back then, being a woman was sexy. She knew more, felt more, endured more. (In a room full of potential partners, 'real men' would gravitate to 'real women' like Elsie, sooner than to young, inexperienced wannabes.) I think part of the problem with finding a replacement is that none of the existing cast can burst on the scene fully formed like Elsie was, already knackered, but always up for a challenge. What made her connection with her younger tenants so true was that, in many ways, while older, she was also more youthful and unconventional than they were. While a magnet for men, she kept her independence. I'm not sure in the current context, there's a way to sexualize sui generis, dominant women that way.

Anonymous said...

Elisie Tanner like may of the characters of her era was one of a kind and I don't think Michelle or anyone else can take her place.
I think it's an insult to the late Pat Phoenix who portrayed Elsie so beautifully to say that Michelle is Elise reborn.
Michelle is a wannabee at the least.

Tvor said...

Michelle...not a chance. For one thing, the Elsie character type has to be a bit older. Liz is probably the closest we have at the moment. Elsie in her sixties was more of a mother figure than a scandalous tart with a heart that she was in her forties. Michelle's only got half of that criteria.

Zagg said...

Sorry, not a chance. Michelle has become the nasty, screaming fish wife character. Elsie Tanner was an icon.Years from now, will we be talking of Michelle as an icon? I can't see it.

Maricha said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Maricha said...


I don't see Michelle as a siren at all: she's not a charmer in any way.

When she's older and wiser it would be easier to turn someone like Eva who is both pretty and caring into a siren than any of the other actresses currently on Corrie.

Much as I liked Carla, the way she turned to the bottle at any sign of trouble disqualified her as a siren: they tend to keep their wits about them.

Bobby Dazzler said...



Elsie Tanner? Whew, hard act to follow and at the moment there aren't any on the street who have the fire that she did. Siren? Maybe if they developed Claire King's role we might be in that ballpark, but at the moment Corrie's in need of some strong,independant women..........

Newfy Pearl said...

I agree with you so much Maricha. I could never get on board with Carla and that was part of the reason. She gave in to the bottle whenever trouble came up and she did not care who had to pick up the pieces.
Also she wanted Liam when he was with Maria, and then she wanted Peter when he was with Leanne.....very very selfish and self indulgent. There were times the writers seemed to go one way with her....making a stronger version of herself who had learned from her mistakes and was tolerant and understanding of others.....then they would drop her down the neck of the bottle again.

Newfy Pearl said...

And I agree that Liz is the closest we have at this time...and Liz is similar to the darling Bet Lynch. I love these two characters and I hate the thought of Liz not owning the Rovers.

Laura said...

Carla also took Trevor the binman from Janice. She was as bad of a man stealer as Maria.

Newfy Pearl said...

LOL Thanks Laura...I forgot that one.

Maricha said...

I had blocked that out.:-)

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

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