Coronation Street in 1986 featured regular characters who stlll appear today - Ken, Rita, Jenny, Audrey, Gail, Sally and Kevin. The likes of Deirdre, Emily, Jack and Vera, Betty and Hilda are still very much in our consciousness too. Early '86 also began some long running stories, introducing Sally Seddon to enliven Kevin's life for many years to come and most of all, the start of the three year Alan Bradley saga.
I have been tasked with cobbling together a blog on five things we've learned from this week in the life of Classic Coronation Street on ITV3. This last week in 1986 saw the fallout from the Rovers fire continue and for a brief moment it seemed the famous pub was doomed. Thankfully George Newton had a change of heart, taking pity on Bet when he discovered the only belongings she'd managed to salvage from the fire were her singed 'butch" wig and her burnt Orinoco Womble. Elsewhere, young Susan Baldwin still couldn't act but managed to reunite Rita and Alan over a frozen pizza. Rita certainly would come away from that little lot with a bit more than just indigestion...
Ivy Tilsley: Knicker Nicker
Another glam night out for Edina and Patsy |
It was refreshing to see the fun, down to earth side to Ivy. I for one only remember her pointing the finger at Gail, tutting upwards at Audrey and trying to protect young Nicky from evil little Martin Platt. Who knew the hot summer of 1986 would see her pocketing what Terry reliably informed us were "briefs". These ravishing undercrackers would cause a great deal of trouble for Jack. And no, don't worry, he doesn't model them for Phyllis Pearce.
Who knows what you'll find down the back seat in a Vauxhall Nova...
Jack and Dulcie get down to business |
Just for a change, Jack and Vera were at each others' throats this week. The Vauxhall Nova saga continued on with no sign of a truce. Jack, the rogue he was, started whipping the keys out of Vee's handbag and trotting off to her garage in Viaduct Street to pop out for a spin, and he wasn't going alone, oh no! Yes, the deliciously named Dulcie Froggatt was his back seat companion. However before they could get down to it, as it were, Jack felt something strange behind him - yes none other than Ivy's briefs. Someone pass the smelling salts.
No sooner had the briefs been found than Jack was accusing poor old Vera of exactly what he was getting up to (or down to) with the delectable Dulcie! Incidentally, I caught up with the lovely Margi Campi, who played Dulcie, earlier this year. You can read our interview here.
A Rover Returns...
Alec reacts to Terry's request for a corned beef barm |
This began one of Coronation Street's golden chapters, with Roy Barraclough on barnstorming form as the wily, tight fisted, sharp tongued publican. Roy fitted in so well with the rest of the Coronation Street cast and after many years of trying, Granada finally lured him back and signed him up to a contract and I'm really glad they did.
Jenny Bradley, teenager from hell
Morten Harket |
She's always been a heavy parcel, our Jenny. True enough in 1986 she didn't resort to dangling little children off balconies, instead she just sulked and flounced about between her dingy bedsit and her paper round. Not even her 80's summer pastel fashions and A-Ha haircut are entertaining any more. Dad Alan, pre full on psychopath he'd later become, was still showing signs of being less than pleasant by two timing Gloria Todd-Corkhill with Lady Reet of the Kabin. How could Alan even think of bonking, sorry bunking down with Gloria when Rita had gone to the trouble of styling her hair as if she was about to audition for a bit part in Howard's Way?
Jenny obviously had her favourite and it was Glo. Probably because she was younger and her wardrobe of latest polyester fashions was merely a few steps across the grimy hall. When Alan plumped for Rita, Jenny, obviously having slipped Susan Kennedy like on some spilt milk, seemed to forget that fluffy Fairclough the foster mam had saved her piggin' bacon. Even Alan's suggestion of a family trip to Jersey fell on deaf ears as little Jenny stropped about like a bad smell. Not a fan of Bergerac then.
Gail Warnings
Not a warm front in sight |
Ah yes, an old one but a good'un. Everyone was wondering this past week 31 years ago, just why Gail was being so sullen, so moody and so standoffish. Personally, I couldn't make out any difference from her normal radiant self. She was snapping at 12 year old Martin Platt, brushing off support from gravel-voiced Phyllis and being terse with Brian the Teeth. Obviously I'm totally fine with Gail treating Brian like dirt but there was no need for the rest of it. In one totally hilarious (not) scene Gail even had the nerve to mind having her bottom pinched in the cafe by a rather rancid looking trucker (I think that's what she called him).
Of course the real reason for Gail's mardy mare act is revealed in the cliff hanger at the end of the episode. Rather rudely cutting off Hilda in her prime and putting an end to Audrey's endless twittering (oh Sue Nicholls, please join Twitter, it would be fabulous darling), Gail comes out with it. She's got a bun in the oven and it's not back at Jim's Caff. The penny drops with Aud the back street barnet permer when she realises the baby might pop out with an Australian accent. Fortunately, it didn't. Unfortunately, this happened instead:
Definitely Brian's |
Classic Coronation Street is broadcast on ITV3 every week day at 14.40 and 15.15, repeated from 6am the next day.
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4 comments:
I love these blogs, Graeme, and I agree that it was a golden era. Humour is subjective as discussed in another blog, but Alec and Bet were wonderfully sardonic. The dictionary defines sardonic as 'grimly mocking or cynical' and that about sums up many of the exchanges between characters at the time. The actors also had a lightness of touch whether the scene was high drama or comedy. That style of acting seems to be out of fashion; everyone now seems very earnest and even the comedy is often laboured. You get occasional flashes of how it used to be. Jenny is doing a brilliant turn with her dry remarks and flashes of anger. Likewise Sally. Johnny & Jenny; Tim & Sally, both great couples and, hopefully, long-term. orrie needs couples like that for both the big storylines and the day-to-day small talk. Hope they stick around.
Agree with you! Bet and Alec were magic.
They were indeed!
Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying these blogs!
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