Coronation Street Blog: The Week In Classic Corrie

MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 29th and 31st January 1992

Raquel was on a bad run of luck. She got a job modelling slippers but it turned out her feet were too big. Then her agency went bust, owing her money, leaving her worried she couldn't pay her way and that people would think she was a kept woman. Derek was also worried about money now he was unemployed, and things got worse when Victor asked for the company car back. His idle mind meant he went off on mad schemes - first thinking he could turn the garden into a Good Life-style smallholding, then he had the idea of getting Rita to retire and leave running the Kabin to him and Mavis. Sally told Gail about Mike's backhander deal, but when Alma revealed he'd proposed marriage, Gail told her all about it to warn her off. Alma made Mike propose again then, while he was down on one knee, rejected him again and told him she knew about the Websters. Mike told Kevin that if there was any trouble he'd be the one the police would go after - it was Kevin's handwriting on the dodgy invoices. And the Duckworths received an unexpected and unwelcome visitor: Terry.

TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 3rd and 5th February 1992

Derek and Mavis wined and dined Rita and proposed she retire and let them run the Kabin. She flew off the handle at their assumption she was ready for the knackers yard and stormed out, though she found their subsequent grovelling highly amusing. Rita mulled the prospect of retiring; given she's still in the Kabin 27 years later I'm guessing she decided not to. Ken's back went out and he had to be rescued by Audrey and Phyllis. He ended up in hospital. Terry returned to the Duckworths with his new girlfriend, Lisa, and Vera put on a posh tea. They went to the Rovers with Terry terrified the locals might inform on his dodgy past. The only secret that came out though was that Lisa was pregnant. Vera was thrilled. Alma got a valuation for the cafe but it turned out to be much less than she expected. She suggested that she simply moved away and collect the rent, leaving Gail furious that she'd have to run the cafe on her own. She checked their partnership agreement and discovered that if either of them wanted to leave, they'd have to sell the business, and now they knew it was worth nothing. Martin told Alma that Mike would've won if she ran away, and she'd be better off fighting with her mates to support her. She decided to stay.

WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 7th and 10th February 1992

Jack was convinced that Lisa and the pregnancy was a scam of some sort. When he hinted to Terry about it, they ended up almost brawling in the middle of the Rovers. Terry finally returned to Blackpool leaving Vera sobbing into her hankie. Ken was kept in hospital, much to his annoyance, but he was cheered by a series of visitors. Alma popped round to let him know she wasn't leaving and Audrey encouraged her to try again with him, romantically. Meanwhile Tracy suggested he recuperate at number one with her and Deirdre. Deirdre was not impressed. Alec got a postcard from a woman named Cherie who he met on the cruise, who thanked him for a "wonderful time". He assured Bet there was nothing scandalous in his relationship with her.

THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 12th and 14th February 1992

It was Valentine's so love was in the air. Andy was primping himself to try and attract the attention of a girl named Paula he'd met at the library. He dropped a card into her bag and was thrilled when he got one in return. Steve got a card from Vicky (causing one of the earliest known Steve McDonald Gurns) but he was busier causing mischief with Tracy, sending fake cards to the Street's residents. Alf got one from "Britannia" (Betty from Emmerdale) while Reg got one from "Rita". She was naturally keen to let him know it had nothing to do with her. (Percy got one off Phyllis but he threw it straight in the bin because he doesn't realise Phyllis is a treasure). Less loved up were Bet and Alec, as Cherie phoned the pub and thought "Mrs Gilroy" was his mother. He'd given the impression he was a widower on the holiday so Bet invited her round for tea. When Cherie arrived she was distinctly unamused to learn he had a wife, especially when Bet hammed it up and treated him like her little boy. Emily offered to look after Ken when he came out of hospital, enraging Percy, who thought Deirdre was deserting her duty to the father of her child. Guilt-ridden, she offered to take him in to number one to recuperate. Derek was desperate for a job so he turned to his ex-wife, Angela, getting Mavis worried that she might try to tempt him away from her. He decided not to go for it because he valued his marriage over his career.

FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 17th and 19th February 1992

Ken was getting under Deirdre's feet at number one. She worried that he was getting too comfortable - a feeling not helped by Tracy organising a romantic meal for them - and even visits from Phyllis and Percy couldn't put him off. She finally had to tell him he was there under suffrance and she couldn't wait to get rid. The Street was woken by the Kabin's alarm at four in the morning. A couple of scallies had broken in and nicked some cartons of fags. Reg tried to be the hero, but in the chaos, he ended up getting thumped by Jim. Mavis thought Rita would be upset, but she was more irritated than anything else. She chatted about the burglary to a sales rep, Ted Sullivan, who revealed he was taking early retirement. Andy and Paula were getting closer, much to the amusement of the rest of the McDonald family. Steve even stopped watching Home and Away to listen to their phone call - yes, a character in a soap opera watched a soap opera! It's madness. Jack was short of cash after his various bets went south so he got a job as a part-time pallbearer to top up his wallet. Apparently his naturally hangdog expression made him ideal.