Corrie producer Stuart Blackburn said in his bit to camera that Gail had been brought into Corrie as a friend for Suzie Birchall.
(Actually he was wrong. As our blogger Graeme points out on twitter, Gail was brought in to Corrie as a friend for Tricia Hopkins, played by Kathy Jones. Kathy, via twitter, thanked Graeme for this reminder).
And then Stuart Blackburn said: "And who, but die-hard Corrie fans, remembers Suzie Birchall?"
Well, if that's his definition of being a hard-core Corrie fan, then I'm proud to be one. Proud. Suzie Birchall is something of a goddess in our house, fondly remembered. She was feisty in the proper meaning of the word, assertive and forthright, of a type that has rarely been seen on Corrie since, and there's few characters that can hold a candle to her.
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8 comments:
That's a rather worrying comment, Mr. Blackburn, but it explains and confirms what "die-hard fans" have been complaining about. The lack of respect for, and remembrance of, the past history of the show is insulting, not only to fans who do remember and care, but to all the people who carefully constructed this program over the last half century. It's like saying your memories of your friends and family don't matter, and shouldn't be important to you. If you want to keep loyal viewers, Stuart, you really should respect them more! If you don't want that responsibility, then perhaps you should consider going to produce a less iconic program.
I know it showed my anorak status but the person at the top should really have their facts right. It doesn't show enough respect for the programme, the fans or the actresses involved. I'm sure the archivist could've put him right if he'd checked first.
I enjoyed the scenes with Suzie, Gail, and Elsie circa 77/78, they were always good for a laugh, Suzie attempting to unblock the chimney and putting foot through the Ogden's roof for one!
Unfortunately the trio broke up when Gail married our Brian, could do with some laughs like that on the show today.
I thought Blackburn's comment was very disrespectful to an actress that is fondly remembered by most viewers who watched the programme during that era.
And it's the thin edge of the wedge. How long before some 20-something new whiz-kid producer comes in and says the same about Ena Sharples or Elsie Tanner?
If they are going to produce a show which has many viewers that have watched it for over 50 years, they should at least know and respect its former stars.
And they certainly shouldn't be making a dig at one particular actress at such a major event.
Explains so much.
I'll admit that I never really liked Suzie, always found her a bit full of herself and arrogant. Indeed by 79 I wondered why Gail and Elsie putted up with her.
It's comments like these that demonstrate everything that's so horribly wrong with the show under Stuart Blackburn.
Suzie was gorgeous and funny too. She and Elsie Tanner were a great double act. Lucky enough to speak to Sheryl once. Even better looking in real life. Shame she wasn't in the show long enough.
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