Why I'll miss Coronation Street's Betty

Sad news in today that actress Betty Driver has died, age 91. We've known for some time that she hasn't been well but the news of her death has come as a terrible shock for us fans today.  Betty Driver lived a long and full life, a real talent, a star. But how will Coronation Street cope without her character Betty Williams behind the bar at the Rovers Return?  Will she be sent to live with son Gordon down in that London?  Whatever the writers decide to do with the character, she'll be deeply missed by fans.

I've watched Coronation Street for almost all of the 42 years that Betty has been on the show. She's always been there, behind the bar or busy-bodying elsewhere.  Never sexy, always solid. Always reliable, honest, and able to convey more with a raised eyebrow and a gathered bosom than most actors can do with three pages of script. Betty was the one that the young barmaids, especially Bet, went to for advice, usually in the back room of the Rovers. And when Betty gave advice, she never held back and she always gave it straight.

After Betty's husband Cyril Turpin died, she had the good sense to turn down barman Fred Gee's proposal before marrying again, very late in life to Billy Williams, but it was a reluctant match. Betty was an independent woman, one of the true, strong, Corrie matriachs on which the show is built. There will never be another Betty Turpin, we've seen the last of her type.

I'll miss her. And you, reading this, will most likely miss her too. I grew up with Betty in Corrie on TV. She was the immovable force behind the bar of the Rovers, never demanding but always getting respect from whichever jumped-up manager was in charge. They messed with her shifts at their peril.  She will be missed a great deal and I'm sure that ITV will give both the character and the actress a fitting send off on TV.