Day 45 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.
When Shelley Unwin was first employed at the Rovers by Duggie Ferguson, she was brassy, confident and wouldn’t take any nonsense from the punters. A bigamous marriage to Peter Barlow and lack of luck with fellas in general had started to dent that confidence and when she took up with the dominating bully of a builder, Charlie Stubbs, she was about to sink even deeper. He constantly chipped away at her, undermining her self-esteem and self-confidence and turned her into an agoraphobic, insecure mess. He was constantly criticising her weight, her behaviour and her personality and one occasion he made her change her outfit fourteen times and ripped out her earrings before a night out. She became completely submissive to him and was a shadow of the plucky, feisty, fun-loving woman we first met.
Despite all her friends and her mother, Bev, begging her not to, she agreed to marry her manipulative oppressor. The night before the wedding she was forced to listen to a few home truths about her fiancé, including the revelation that he’d tried it on with pretty, young barmaid Violet Wilson. Meanwhile, Charlie was spending the night before the wedding in the arms of another woman who he’d picked up in a bar. At the church it looked like neither of them were going to turn up but eventually Charlie swaggered in followed by an unsure looking Shelley. When the vicar got to ‘Do you take this man?’ the nation cheered when she replied: ‘No, I’m sorry, I don’t. I can’t trust you! I can’t marry you!’ before fleeing the church. Charlie couldn’t take the public humiliation and drove off in the wedding car with Shelley as hostage. He threatened her and told her she must be mentally ill but this time she was stronger and managed to escape. She fled through the streets of Weatherfield in her wedding dress, finally free of him.
Martin Platt fell in love with sixteen year old schoolgirl Katy Harris and was branded a pervert by family and friends alike. Her parents wrongly convinced her that Martin was having an affair with Sally Webster in an attempt to split them up and in a state of shock and betrayal she aborted the child she was carrying. Martin was devastated at the loss of his child and the lack of trust she had shown him so ended the relationship. Katy confronted her father about his lies at the garage but he was unremorseful, thinking it all worthwhile to end the affair. She lashed out at him with a wrench and killed him. Her mother, Angela, had seen it all and tried to cover up the murder, first letting the police suspect Martin and then later taking the blame herself. After her mother had been sent to gaol, Katy, a diabetic, committed suicide by eating spoonsful of sugar. Martin found love again and moved to Liverpool with his new girlfriend Robyn.
Also in 2005: Danny Baldwin turns out to be Mike’s son; Ken and Deirdre Barlow remarry; Ray Langton dies at wedding reception; Les Battersby marries Cilla Brown; Status Quo play at Les and Cilla’s wedding; Diggory and Molly Compton and Lloyd Mullaney make their first appearances; Mel Hutchwright wows and cons the book club.
When Shelley Unwin was first employed at the Rovers by Duggie Ferguson, she was brassy, confident and wouldn’t take any nonsense from the punters. A bigamous marriage to Peter Barlow and lack of luck with fellas in general had started to dent that confidence and when she took up with the dominating bully of a builder, Charlie Stubbs, she was about to sink even deeper. He constantly chipped away at her, undermining her self-esteem and self-confidence and turned her into an agoraphobic, insecure mess. He was constantly criticising her weight, her behaviour and her personality and one occasion he made her change her outfit fourteen times and ripped out her earrings before a night out. She became completely submissive to him and was a shadow of the plucky, feisty, fun-loving woman we first met.
Despite all her friends and her mother, Bev, begging her not to, she agreed to marry her manipulative oppressor. The night before the wedding she was forced to listen to a few home truths about her fiancé, including the revelation that he’d tried it on with pretty, young barmaid Violet Wilson. Meanwhile, Charlie was spending the night before the wedding in the arms of another woman who he’d picked up in a bar. At the church it looked like neither of them were going to turn up but eventually Charlie swaggered in followed by an unsure looking Shelley. When the vicar got to ‘Do you take this man?’ the nation cheered when she replied: ‘No, I’m sorry, I don’t. I can’t trust you! I can’t marry you!’ before fleeing the church. Charlie couldn’t take the public humiliation and drove off in the wedding car with Shelley as hostage. He threatened her and told her she must be mentally ill but this time she was stronger and managed to escape. She fled through the streets of Weatherfield in her wedding dress, finally free of him.
Martin Platt fell in love with sixteen year old schoolgirl Katy Harris and was branded a pervert by family and friends alike. Her parents wrongly convinced her that Martin was having an affair with Sally Webster in an attempt to split them up and in a state of shock and betrayal she aborted the child she was carrying. Martin was devastated at the loss of his child and the lack of trust she had shown him so ended the relationship. Katy confronted her father about his lies at the garage but he was unremorseful, thinking it all worthwhile to end the affair. She lashed out at him with a wrench and killed him. Her mother, Angela, had seen it all and tried to cover up the murder, first letting the police suspect Martin and then later taking the blame herself. After her mother had been sent to gaol, Katy, a diabetic, committed suicide by eating spoonsful of sugar. Martin found love again and moved to Liverpool with his new girlfriend Robyn.Also in 2005: Danny Baldwin turns out to be Mike’s son; Ken and Deirdre Barlow remarry; Ray Langton dies at wedding reception; Les Battersby marries Cilla Brown; Status Quo play at Les and Cilla’s wedding; Diggory and Molly Compton and Lloyd Mullaney make their first appearances; Mel Hutchwright wows and cons the book club.
Always thought it odd that Angela Harris wanted to call her mother when they were in hiding, and after the murder her father came alone to offer support.
ReplyDeleteThe Charlie Stubbs reign of terror and tommy's death were for me two of the best storylines on Corrie.
ReplyDeleteI grew up reading a book beside Mum while she watched Corrie every day. This is the year I put down the book and started watching it myself. I was hooked by the Charlie Stubbs story. Even though the character was despicable, I thought the actor was great and kind of handsome too. I wrote Bill Ward a fan letter. The first and only one I ever wrote and he sent me a letter and autographed picture back! It was a thrill! Charlie was a jerk but I still miss him! lol
ReplyDeleteWow, can't believe Lloyd's only been around since 2005. He's one of my favs! Molly, on the other hand, seems to have been around for a very, very long time.
ReplyDelete