Maggie Jones' memorial service held today

As previously reported, today was the memorial service in the Salford Cathedral for the late Maggie Jones. Many fans along with present and former cast members attended and many of the cast members spoke or read at the service. There's more detail at BBC news, but highlights include a mention of some of Maggie's character, Blanche's best known lines, read by William Roache who plays Blanche's son-in-law, Ken Barlow. He said: "In lesser hands some of these lines could seem cruel, vicious even. I think only Maggie could have turned them into pure comedy gold." He called Maggie's performances "jaw-dropping" and "legendary".

Both a poem, read by Sue Nicholls, and a song by Joyce Grenfell were included, as she was one of Maggie's favourites. Poems were read by Antony Cotton and Brooke Vincent, who composed her own poem for the service. We can anticipate the passing of Blanche Hunt later in the spring on Corrie when her funeral will see the early return of her granddaughter, jailbird Tracy Barlow.