In this week's awards, I mentioned the Darth Vader Effect relating to Johnny discovering he is Carla's biological father. She'll find out soon enough. This isn't the first time it's happened on Coronation Street and is a fairly standard soap plot that rears its head every so often.
On Coronation Street, Mike Baldwin is the king of the Darth Vader effect, with all three of his sons discovering who their biological father was and Mike knowing about only one of them. Most often it's the fathers who discover previously unknown children because mothers know they've given birth. It's hard to keep that fact from them though if a baby was switched in the hospital, they may not realise the child they raise is their own. But let's not get into that!
Other typical soap scenarios include an older sister or aunt who is really the biological mother of a younger sibling/nephew/niece, or a close relative who is the biological parent, usually father, of someone. We've had the latter in Fred Elliott with his son Ashley but I'm not sure we've had the former situation.
Curly Watts discovered a daughter, Ken Barlow discovered a son (and grandson), Leanne found her mother. For more detail on all of these, and more, see State of the Street.
Can you think of any others I might have missed?
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Betty and Gordon Clegg was the first one I think.
ReplyDeleteThere was a story that Jack wasn't Terry's dad as well in the 1990s.
Oh yes of course, Betty and Gordon Clegg. Even though Vera told Jack he might not be Terry's father, Jack still believed he was because Terry was so much like him. That one went nowhere.
ReplyDeleteLawrence Cunningham had a daughter, Chloe, who never appeared. So that's another secret (grand)child for Ken.
ReplyDeleteAh yes looked it up now. It was during the live episode in 2000.
ReplyDeleteJason slept with his auntie Julie, unbeknownst to them both.
EastEnders can do this storyline and manage to shock viewers.
ReplyDeleteThere was Lloyd and Jenna. Oh I do wish they'd return, sans Andrea, with Jenna redeemed and working in her profession.
ReplyDeleteJason didn't actually sleep with Julie, they ended up not because they were too drunk. That's when it came out that Eileen's dad was also Julie's. I'd forgotten about Colin Grimshaw as well!
ReplyDeleteLloyd and Jenna too, thanks everyone! I'll update the original blog post with all these and anything anyone else comes up with.
ReplyDeleteThere was Haley and her unpalatable son, Christian. That was one helluva Darth Vader moment for him!
ReplyDeleteOh, and Ted and Gail. I do wish they'd bring him back. He has a granddaughter and two great-granddaughters (maybe a third on the way!) he's never met before. Bet Lynch also had a son shed given up come looking for her.
ReplyDeleteOb Cobblestone, yes on both accounts!
ReplyDelete