Coronation Street Blog readers have voted Bet Lynch/Gilroy as their favourite Rovers boss. 458 voted and 123 (26.86%) voted for Bet, who ran the Rovers between 1985 and 1995. She was beaten in our favourite barmaid poll by Betty, but she's triumphed in this poll.
In second place came Steve McDonald with 79 votes (17.25%), over forty votes behind Bet. He owned the Rovers between 2006 and 2011. Legendary landlady Annie Walker came third with 71 votes (15.5%). She ran the Rovers with hubby Jack between 1937 and 1970 and then on her own until 1984.
Steve's mum Liz came fourth with 45 votes (9.83%). She ran the Rovers between 2006 and 2011. Both Jack Duckworth and Fred Elliott came fifth with 23 votes (5.02%). Jack, with wife Vera, owned the Rovers between 1995 and 1998 while Fred Elliott owned it between 2000 and 2006.
Alec Gilroy came sixth with 20 votes (4.37%). He ran the Rovers between 1986 and 1992 and between 1997 and 1998. Current landlady Stella Price, who's been at the fore since 2011, came seventh with 17 votes (3.71%). Shelley Unwin was close behind with 16 votes (3.49%) and she managed the Rovers for Fred Elliott between 2002 and 2006. Vera Duckworth came ninth with 14 votes (3.06%) and owned it with hubby Jack.
First onscreen Rovers boss Jack Walker came tenth with 9 votes (1.97%). He ran the pub from 1937 until his death in 1970. Bar manager Lillian Spencer came eleventh with 6 votes (1.31%). She ran the pub for Fred Elliott for a few days in 2002 and proved unpopular with the regulars. Natalie Barnes came twelfth with 5 votes (1.09%) and she ran the Rovers between 1998 and 2000.
Duggie Ferguson came thirteenth with 4 votes (0.87%) and he ran the pub between 2000 and 2001. Billy Walker (1984), Eve Elliott (2001-2002) and Gloria Price (2013) all received 1 vote (0.22%).
Happy with the results? Leave your comments!
And if you haven't yet, you can vote for your favourite 1970s Corrie moment here. Voting closes on Monday, 23rd September at midnight.
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Annie in just third place? Don't you people ever watch the older eps on DVD or youtube?
ReplyDeleteWhat an injustice!
I assume Sue Johnstone was the one voted for Gloria.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anon 18:53. I voted for Annie, but that was before I'd had a chance to watch some old episodes from 1976-78 and see Bet Lynch in action. I have to say I found Bet's character unexpectedly unpleasant. For example, the way she plays havoc with the lives of Alf and Renee, her deadpan mockery of others' pieties, an overall quality of aggression combined with wooden acting. Can someone please explain the source of her appeal? Thanks--
ReplyDeleteThe appeal of Bet Lynch? From one fan's POV I would say it was her vulnerability. She put up this bold, brassy front but we knew it was a mask. She would reveal her weak side in private to certain people only. Men found her irresistible but in a floozy kind of way, they would use her then discard her. She was the Marilyn Monroe of Weatherfield in that regard. She was very loyal and protective of her female friends. Raquel in particular, and Vicky, Alec's niece. Many of us found her deadpan sarcasm to be witty and entertaining. Julie Goodyear was never lacking in the acting department. Compared to some on Corrie at the present she was Meryl Streep. Hope that helps you to see what I saw in her.
ReplyDeleteI never really got the iconic status of Bet. She always looked like a brassy hooker. If that was the part she played - okay; but she even perpetuated that "look" in real life. And she still does (judging by that photo above with Piers). That's not attractive at all and she should probably give it up.
ReplyDeleteVicky was Alec's granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon 21:24. That helps a lot. Maybe the batch of episodes I watched were in between the vulnerable periods and depend on viewers knowing that about her. Can you recommend any particular storylines or episodes?
ReplyDeleteAnnie may have only come third, but once you factor in the number of readers who don't buy the videos, and have never seen anything prior to about 2008, I think this result is complete vindication for the enduring popularity of the quite wonderful Annie Walker.
ReplyDeleteAnd when you consider that the current landlady got less than a quarter of Annie's votes, it just shows how unpopular she is.