50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 2006

Day 46 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

Sitting in the Rovers one day in 2005 Mike Baldwin suddenly couldn’t remember the name of vessel in which drinks are contained. It was a small, understated little scene but hugely significant as it signalled the start of the onset of Alzheimer’s. Over the coming year, much to the distress of people around him he became increasingly confused and lost and in his moments of clarity was in terror of the disease which was getting increasingly worse. Not all of his friends and family were wholly sympathetic though. His son Danny decided to try to take advantage of his vulnerable state and with his girlfriend Leanne Battersby, schemed to get Mike to sign documents that would hand control of the Baldwin empire to him.

Mike contracted pneumonia and was admitted to hospital but he ran off believing that he had some important business to take care of. He was spotted near his factory in the pouring rain by Ken Barlow who wrapped his coat around him and called an ambulance. In his confused and distressed state, Mike taunted Ken that Deirdre and little Tracy were going to move in with him now and that he was finished. ‘Deirdre loves me. She’s mine.’ And with that he suffered a massive heart attack and died on the cobbles in the arms of Ken. Ultimately Danny and Leanne’s plan to inherit Mike’s wealth were scuppered by the existence of another will which bequeathed everything to Mike’s son Adam, who sold the factory to Paul and Liam Connor.

Fred Elliott was a butcher with an eye for the ladies, unfortunately his love life was tragically unsuccessful. He’d married Maureen Holdsworth who promptly left him and ran away with Bill Webster. He married Eva Sykes who hadn’t bothered to divorce her previous husband first. And then there was his Thai bride Orchid, who turned out to be a con-artist market trader called Stacey. He was a serial proposer, asking Doreen Heavey, Rita Sullivan, Penny King and twice, Audrey Roberts to marry him but he was turned down every time. After years of trying he finally struck it lucky with Bev Unwin who gave him his chance to settle down once and for all.

In the run up to the wedding, Audrey admitted to Fred that when she last turned him down she was a stupid shallow woman who thought that she could do better but now she realises that she was wrong. If he’d asked her to marry her again, she would have said yes. But it wasn’t to be, Fred had now fallen in love with Bev and that was an end to it. At the church Ashley told his dad that Audrey had decided not to come and so he rushed off to see her. He told Audrey he hadn’t come to tell her what she wanted to hear, but that he loved Bev and he’s going to marry her. As he took his leave he told her: “Be happy. I say, be happy”. And as he headed to the front door there was a crash, a bang and a very deep moan. Fred had suffered a massive heart attack and died on Audrey’s Welcome mat laid out by her front door.

Also in 2006: Aadi and Asha Alahan born; Freddie (originally Thomas) Peacock born; Charlie Stubbs and Tracy Barlow get together; Ernest Bishop’s killer, Ed Jackson, returns to ask for forgiveness; David Platt sends his mother cards from Richard Hillman; Steve MacDonald buys the Rovers; Adam Barlow inherits the factory and sells it to Paul and Liam Connor; Becky Granger, Carla Connor and Michelle Connor make their first appearances; Maureen Webster returns briefly only to be told that her husband, Bill, is having an affair with Audrey Roberts.