Let's get the shrapnel out of the way first, shall we? Des and Maxine started going out, though he soon regretted it because she was so mad keen. Betty asked Raquel to be her bridesmaid and Bet to be her maid of honour. Vicky and Steve took up a flat in Weatherfield Quays (although in the next episode Jim slipped and called it Salford Quays). Vera worried that they'd fritter away all the inheritance, but she did make up with Des over the house. Right. Now to the meat. Rita went back to see Bet and they thrashed out an agreement for the Rovers; Rita would own it and Bet would manage it for her. Rita visibly blanched when she realised she'd be putting up all the money, but she still went on with the chat. Excited, Bet told the staff there might be a saviour on the horizon, and when Rita came back from her accountants with the news that she could afford it, Mavis happily told Bet behind the bar. Ecstatic, she shared the news with her friends - making Rita think twice, because she felt like she was being taken for granted. She declined to actually tell Bet that though, letting her go to the brewery and negotiate two grand off the selling price, getting all happy and turning up in the Kabin with a bottle of champagne. That was when Rita told her she'd changed her mind, and all hell broke loose. The words "clapped out chorusgirl" and "PALS?!?!" flew through the air, both women spat bullets, and they ended their friendship forever. Oh, just watch it, it's incredible.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 13th and 16th October 1995
This is it. The point where old Corrie ended and new Corrie began. In retrospect, this is a fracture, the moment when a mild comedy-drama about the lives of ordinary Northern folk became a lot more... intense. From this point on there were a lot more ambulances and affairs and murders, and you can date it to the departure of Mrs Elizabeth Gilroy. But we'll get to that. The Ghost of Ivy Tilsley continued to haunt the Street. Gail suggested that they settle out of court, with Don agreeing to sign a legal document acknowledging Nicky was the owner but getting a lifetime tenancy at the house. However, he thought he should have an inheritance to leave when he died and walked away. Denise wanted Daniel to get Christened, which atheist Ken wasn't keen on but he agreed when he realised she really cared about it. However, he went ahead and asked Rita to be Godmother, which annoyed Denise. Bet, meanwhile, scrabbling around for money, ended up asking Vicky. She agreed to talk to Steve and for the only time in his life he wasn't keen on owning the Rovers. They turned her down, but Vicky came up with an alternative suggestion: she'd buy Bet a little cottage for her to enjoy her retirement in. Furious at being patronised, she threw her out of the pub, then followed by kicking everyone else out. She was admittedly magnificent when she did it, bellowing "this pub's SHUT!" and telling Steve to post his pint glass back to Newton & Ridley. (Amusingly, Alf was in the bogs the whole time, and re-emerged to a deserted Rovers). Bet packed her bags and called a taxi. She told Don (of all people - why not one of the good characters?) she was leaving - though she didn't know where. She got in the back of a black cab and disappeared with a broad grin on her face. And that was the end of Julie Goodyear in the show, off into a future of failed pilots and Celebrity Big Brother and disastrous and very temporary returns to the show. It's a shame. The storyline to get rid of Bet was rushed and harsh and just not pleasant at all. Barely half a dozen episodes and that was your lot. Why didn't they send her off to Southampton with Alec a few weeks ago? You actually had Roy Barraclough there on set, pack her off to a happy ending instead of this bitter, nasty story. But as I say, this is where the new Corrie begins, and there's no time for sentimentality any more.
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 18th and 20th October 1995
With Bet gone, the brewery closed the pub and put it up for grabs. The Street's residents began sniffing around the Rovers. Curly encouraged Raquel to have a go. Jim told Liz they should have a stab at buying it themselves, though she was anxious given that when she ran the Queens they split up. But it was Jack and Vera who were most excited, with their inheritance burning a hole in their pocket, and they decided to put in a bid. Betty was upset, not only at the loss of her friend Bet, but also the loss of the venue for her reception. She went ahead with her wedding, roping in Raquel to sign the register, and becoming Mrs Williams. Gordon happily gave her away even though his snobby wife spent the whole time with a bad smell under her nose. At the reception, Rita grabbed the microphone and burst into We'll Meet Again; clearly La Knox had realised that now Julie Goodyear was gone the position of Queen of the Street was up for grabs. Meanwhile, at Firman's, Anne Malone put in a sexual harassment claim against Leo - which Reg swept under the carpet. Curly was rightly furious.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 23rd and 25th October 1995
Deirdre's back! Though sadly not for the happiest of reasons, as it was the inquest into Samir's death. It was ruled as an open verdict because apparently he managed to beat himself up, and the police declined to keep looking for the thugs who did it. She realised she'd never get proper justice for him. I can't help wondering if the police would've investigated a bit more if his name had been Simon not Samir. Leo wrote a report on Reg and Curly for his uncle and he wasn't flattering. This spurred Reg into pushing Anne's sexual harassment claim, because apparently there was no reason to pursue it unless there's was something in it for him, and he asked Curly to persuade Raquel to tell her story too. She wasn't keen at first but agreed to stand up to try and stop Leo from doing it to other girls. Jack and Vera went to the brewery and were told whoever came up with the money first would get the pub. They dropped the price on number 9 a bit for a quick sale to the Malletts. However, the McDonalds had put their house up for sale as well so they could buy the Rovers and Judy and Gary decided to have a think about which house they preferred.
FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 27th and 30th October 1995
Curly and Reg went to Eric Firman with the allegations against Leo. He admitted there was a history of girls accusing him, and realised they were telling the truth because Leo hadn't reported Curly thumping him. The ownership of the Rovers became a race, with Liz phoning Jim to tell him to get down town and sign a bit of paper with her. He took Mike's car without telling him and got the sack but that didn't matter because he was going to get the pub, right? Wrong. The Duckworths were handed the Rovers, much to their delight, though Jack was annoyed when Vera got her name over the door because he had a criminal record. They had different ideas about what events to run at the pub though - Vera wanted a quiz night, but Jack wanted strippers. Classy. Betty returned from her honeymoon and was less that impressed to find out who her new bosses were. The sale left the McDonalds bereft, and Jim got drunk and shouted abuse in the pub, because apparently he really wanted to prove to the brewery they'd made the right decision. Liz told him to ask Baldwin for his job back, and when he said no, she said she'd do it instead; he told her she'd regret it if she did, and that was a threat. Nice.
In honour of Bet's departure, I wrote this entire recap while wearing a leopardskin bustier and chandelier earrings. Photos can be obtained by contacting me on Twitter @merseytart.
Classic Corrie is on ITV3 every day from 14:50 and is also available on the ITV Hub.
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1 comment:
It's been brilliant to watch her again, not just the highlights in the occasional special shows but week by week. Yes, the way she was written out was not worthy of her, Don Brennan ffs!
When Julie appeared on the Corrie v Emmerdale Big Quiz a couple of years ago the contestants and audience proved how much Bet was loved with their applause. She was of course in her full leopard print outfit :)
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