Channel 9 sent an invitation for a party from Coronation Street to visit fans in Australia. Granada accepted the invitation and a group was put together consisting of Doris Speed (Annie Walker), Arthur Leslie (Jack Walker) and Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner) from the cast along with producer/writer H.V. Kershaw and Norman Frisby from the press office.
The group visited Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and they were mobbed everywhere they went. They visited several local Coronation Streets, presented awards, appeared on numerous chat shows and even performed a sketch specially written by Kershaw. Driving back to the airport in Adelaide, Doris and Pat wept as 50,000 people turned out to wave them farewell.
While Corrie has many Canadian connections, the links with Australia are less obvious. Here are some we can think of, and do please let us know if you know of any more.
Norris' brother Ramsay Clegg was sent to Australia as a child.
And David Barlow emigrated out there after marrying Irma Ogden, only for David to die in a car crash.
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6 comments:
Hi FN, can you edit your post? It should read January 26th is Australia Day.
Thanks Flaming Nora - from all Aussie Coro fans:) Have just emailed you with some great Corrie news from Down Under...Nick
And a Jason!
But no Bruce!
When the show has wanted to convey that someone has left permanently, but is not dead (so the door is left open for a future return) they've sent them off to Australia (in the tradition of getting rid of convicts!). Canada and New Zealand don't seem to be used in the same manner. Come to think of it, has anyone gone to, or come from New Zealand?
Do not forget the Aussie backpacker for the Manchester Commenwealth games. she was in Neighbour too.
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