Five Things we Learned from Classic Coronation Street this week

 

Weatherfield's very own Fanny

Cradock that is. Bet, taking offence at some less than flattering comments from an unknowing Mavis in the Corner Shop, set out to prove that she was capable of becoming the world's best housewife. Alec was appalled at the thought of Bet ditching her gleaming pumps for a life of pinny-clad servitude even if she does "grill a decent chop". Mrs Gilroy wasn't listening though as she sent off a convoluted shopping list to Alf's (she even bought some of Sally's garlic croutons, proving our Sal was always a bit above herself). Bet spent the morning on her table setting, struggling to make swans out of napkins and burning her toast corners. 

Sadly, all Bet's guests dropped out and Emily and Mavis (or Hinge and Bracket as Alec had nicknamed them earlier in the week) were forced to endure Bet's lumpy casserole and flacid meringue. Our Rovers landlady definitely put the cock in coq au vin. The Gilroy pair sitting round the dinner table with Mave and the Bish was a delicious comedy of errors and Thelma Barlow shone as the twittery Mavis, suffering from endless coq in mouth syndrome as Bet's facade crumbled. Julie Goodyear and Roy Barraclough brought such vim and vigour to the Rovers Return and they are a constant, comedic joy. There was real heart and love in their relationship and that balanced out the comedy oh so nicely.

French Farce

 

I guess we forget in these modern cosmopolitan days that not so long ago French France seemed a million miles away. In those far off, pre-Brexit days, people didn't just swan off to la belle France at the drop of a beret. Unless you're Jenny flamin' Bradley that is. Good lord but she's an irritating little ginger madam. Taking advantage of innocent young Martin Platt once more (after trapping him upside down in Reet's Fiesta not so long ago) Jen conned herself a ride to a life of sunburn and soggy grapes in the south of France. Selfish little feather-headed Bradley didn't return with Martin though, after swanning off with some French piece by the name of Patrice Podevin. Cue as many dubious French stereotypical references as you could shake an 'Allo 'Allo shaped stick at. I was waiting for Alan Bradders to drop in a mention of the fallen Madonna with the big boobies.

Jenny eventually drifted back to Rita and Alan, who had spent the week beside themselves; Alan threatening to thump anything with male genitalia and Rita sniping at Mavis as if she'd just caused a Weatherfield aniseed ball shortage. PATrice (as Jenny kept addressing him) soon charmed Alan and Reet with cheap wine and some form of worryingly described lace frillies. I just hope the wine was for Alan. Jenny spent the rest of the week's episodes prancing around the street, ring first, shoving it under everyone's nose. We all know it ain't going to end well, after all PATrice has already endured bed and breakfast at the Rovers at £20 a night. I can only hope he wasn't offered the leftovers from Bet's beanfeast for brekkie. 


Glossop calling Susan

 

Mike Baldwin was over the moon this week, resplendent in a rather dashing grey pleather sports jacket. What's not to love? After weeks of Susan slumping herself through those kitchen swing doors at St Mary's Place, she finally confirmed she was pregnant with MVB's baby. Scottish wines and cigars all round! Except poor little bitch girl Sue isn't exactly over the moon at the thought of being (as someone delightfully put it) "up the stick" with the fruit of Mike's loins. Shudder. Susan keeps bleating on about having a life, having a career before settling down to motherhood. To be honest, even if she was a decent actress, that would be as much a possibility as Jack Duckworth managing to clean his own chimney without getting soot in Vera's bottom denture.

There was a glimmer of hope for 1987 viewers when Mike whisked Susan away to a remote farmhouse in Glossop - the ideal place to bring up a family. And the best place for Susan, away from those pesky Granada camera and acting stuff. Fear not, this dreary little tale will soon be at an end as Sue hops off back to Newcastle in her bought and paid for Austin Metro, boot rammed with man-made fibres. Bill Podmore's decision to dispense with the services of Susan Baldwin could not come a moment too soon. Sadly, we'd have to wait a few more years before she'd return one last time, complete with a head transplant and a secret son, before she'd be axed forever at the hands of Billy Gurny Gums. But, hey, I'm straying into Oates territory here so I'll stop.

The Germaine Greer of the Gazette

 

Ken Barlow was once again delivering in spades this week. Despite the fact he's endured on our screens for nigh on sixty years and that he's got a head of hair a man half his age would kill for, we are often remiss in recalling just what a big-headed, ego-centric, pompous old windbag Kenneth is. After pushing poor old Alf into heart attack territory (therefore denying Audrey her oats for the month of May) Ken shoehorned Deirdre through a dodgy demi-wave and a move to even bigger bins and into the council. Ken managed to be a proud husband for all of five minutes until Deirdre started to develop a brain away from the potato peeler and the tumble dryer and actually started to enjoy council work. 

Ken's outdated, Victorian, patriarchal attitudes led me, in a moment of madness, to label him a bell**d on Twitter this week and for that I will never apologise. Deirdre, sick of Ken's moaning, trotted off to Bournemouth with Alf Ventress from Heartbeat for a week on waste disposal. Yes Ken, your wife would rather talk turds in the conference suite of a Ramada Inn than spend time with you. Stick that in your Gazette and choke on it. 

Sally's Supermarket Sweep

 

Finally this week, I must mention dear little Sally Webster, already exhibiting signs of the social climbing snob we all know and love today. Cosy in her new job working with Alf at the mini market, Sally is a bright ray of sunshine, energetically trying to flog the aforementioned garlic croutons to Emily Bishop, spreading gossip with Audrey and moaning about Kevin's lack of get up and go. Just you wait, luvey. What I did notice though on several occasions was Sal's inability to work the till, add up and deliver her lines all at once. Now Renee Roberts might have been a bit dull and more suited to anything starring Hylda Baker (one for the teenagers there) and Maggie Clegg might have legged it to Zaire in the middle of pricing up the tinned pears but at least they could operate a till a good deal less vicious that Arkright's. It seemed that everything anyone ever bought always amounted to 38p. I guess when you've got young Kevin's be-jeaned buttocks pressed up against the dairy counter, your coordination is bound to go right out the window.

And I leave you with my pic of the week - Bet had popped in to the Corner Shop for a packet of Alec's favourite beef burgers and picked up more than she bargained for from Mavis Riley. If looks could kill...

Until next time...

I'm on Twitter @GraemeN82 if you fancy a natter.

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Coronation Street Blog Interview: Robin Askwith

 

It's not every day you end up on the phone to Malta for an hour and a half with the actor Robin Askwith. Robin has been in my life for many years, thanks to his incredibly prolific and diverse acting career across film, television and theatre. Robin's career has come to be dominated by the legendary Confessions series of comedy films, however there is an awful lot more to the man than that. 

Always one to speak his mind, something that's really rather refreshing these days, Robin began our chat by discussing the modern trend of social media. Due to the growing popularity of his one man show performances, Robin is tentatively thinking about developing more of a following on Twitter, despite being wary about the internet. I think Twitter would be a much better place for a bit of Askwith so I hope he, for the want of a better expression, follows through. 

I've stitched the interview together from my many pages of notes - as Robin himself admits, he doesn't like formal question and answers, he prefers his answers to drive the questions! Here's how we got on:

One of your earliest film roles was that of Keating in If. It's a really iconic movie – what was it like to be a part of?

If was my first film part. I'd done some bits and pieces before that, like television commercials, but it was the big one. It's actually 50 years next year since we made that film and I'll be celebrating that with a tour I'm doing in 2018. It was an extraordinary film to get as my first role on the big screen. As you know I went to quite a posh public school and I took part in lots of school plays. The director of If, Lindsay Anderson, came to see one of the plays and I had a mishap with the false nose I was wearing. I made a joke of it and was told by the school that they wouldn't have me in another production. Lindsay loved it though and it was that that got me the film. 

 

Originally I was up for the part Richard Warwick played but they changed the ages of the characters and I ended up playing Keating, which was great as I had more time to learn about the process of filming. I remember having many, many auditions with the casting director, a lady called Miriam Brickman. Lindsay Anderson became a good friend though and I worked for him again in the film Britannia Hospital, playing the same character but in a larger role. He had tried to get me to do a couple of parts on stage at the Royal Court but I was too busy filming in the end. Lindsay Anderson was a great director, mainly in the theatre, but he was a guiding force for me in my early career.

In 1972 you appeared with many of the Carry On team in the film version of Bless This House. Was that a fun film to do and did you enjoy working with Sid James?

Bless This House is still such a popular film. Here in Gozo where I live, friends who are parents are always telling their kids that I'm a famous film star and they ask what I've been in - the only film I made that kids can really watch is probably Bless This House and they love it. It's such an English film and I don't know what all these Southern Europeans love about it but they go mad for it. A lot of the fan mail I get these days is about Bless This House and I get sent photos of me from the film. It's incredible, but I guess it's down to the terrific cast in the film and the fun of it all. 

Sid was great to work with, I really respected him and all the work he'd done. He'd made some terrific films, worked on the BBC series Taxi, which I loved and all the radio with Tony Hancock. There was a great deal of respect for Sid and he really was the leading man of the Carry Ons. He spotted me and took to me, he liked what I was doing and it was great to work with him. I did also appear in a one off episode of the series Bless This House, and I was originally considered for the part of Sid's son Mike. It went to Robin Stewart in the end but I think Sid wanted me for the part.  

I loved making the film. There was one sequence in particular, when I'm cooking in the cafe and we did the whole thing in one take - I was just allowed to go for it and it was all really spontaneous. The result was fantastic and Sid James told me it was genuinely the funniest thing he'd seen since the comic Charlie Cairoli. Sadly there was something wrong with the negative from the original take so we had to shoot it again. I was happy with it but it didn't have the edge of the original version. I remember Alan Hume, who was the Director of Photography, being such a giggler. We used to have to go again because he'd broken up laughing at what we were all doing. I think it was that film that made me realise I could do comedy. Until then I had been doing more straight stuff, more realistic. It was Sid's fault really as he kept telling me to go bigger and over react more in performance! And from that film I got Carry On Girls. 

One of your main co-stars in the Bless This House film was Carol Hawkins. I think you went to drama school with her too? What was it like to work with Carol?

I was very friendly with Carol, we got on really well. My agent at the time was a lady called Hazel Malone and her sister ran the Corona Academy, a school which trained young actors, producing the likes of Judy and Sally Geeson, Susan George, Richard O'Sullivan and Dennis Waterman. I had already had quite a serious schooling but I went along to Corona because it was just a great place to be. Also, my school had been a boys' school and Corona had girls! I had already made a few films and done some television at this stage but I got to know Carol before her career got going. We acted together there in a production of Private Lives I remember. 

Carol was responsible for drawing Gerald Thomas' attention towards me when he was casting the film of Bless This House. She had been working on Carry On Abroad with Sally Geeson just before and both Carol and Sally went on to do the Bless This House film straight after. Robin Stewart, who was playing Mike Abbott in the television series, was not going to appear in the film version and Gerald was looking around for a young actor. Carol suggested me. Gerald had no way of seeing what I had done as once one of the films I'd been in had been on in the cinema, it was gone. There were no DVDs in 1972 or even VHS. For instance, just before this I'd done a series for Yorkshire TV called On The House, with Kenneth Connor and Derek Griffiths. Once it was shown it was gone so it didn't really help. So Carol persuaded him to see me. I had Sid, Carol and Sally in my corner and I didn't have to read for the part. I remember as I arrived to meet Gerald, my main rival for the role, Christopher Timothy, was just leaving. He's a great actor but he was ten years older than me and not known for comedy. Gerald was a tremendous man and great to work with. 

 

In 1973 you played June Whitfield's son in Carry On Girls. You shared a memorable scene on Brighton beach with the lovely Maggie Nolan. Do you have fond memories of filming Girls and working with Maggie?

Carry On Girls was great fun. Originally my part of the photographer had been a wordless role but they built it up for me. I remember Barbara Windsor kept saying "'ere, that Askwith, his part's getting bigger and bigger!" (At this point I compliment Robin on his absolutely stunning Dame Barbara impersonation). June Whitfield was fantastic to work with, she called me "her son" off screen as well as on. She was (and is) a lovely lady and really great. We'd done something before Girls came along and many years later I appeared in panto with her. 

I remember at one stage I used to stay in a great hotel down in Wimbledon run by a man called Ray Slade. June and I had neighbouring suites in the hotel and he used to say he'd know what was going on in the June Whitfield suite and he'd always know what was going on in the Robin Askwith suite! At the time I had a girlfriend who kept budgies and once she brought them to the suite. We had a lot of fun joking about how I had three birds in my suite. 

 

I have fond memories of working with Maggie Nolan, she was great. That scene on the beach at Brighton was good to do but I was a total professional. I remember she was very political and at the time I think she was married to Tom Kempinski? She tried to sign me up to the Workers' Revolutionary Party but I declined! (I mention the infamous fight sequence in the film between Nolan and Barbara Windsor and tell Robin that Maggie was actually pregnant at the time). I didn't know she was pregnant but now you mention it I do recall she was a bit reticent about doing that scene. In the end I think they both really went for it though. Gerald Thomas wanted me to do more Carry Ons but of course I ended up going off to do the Confessions films, which in a way saw the eventual decline of the Carry Ons. I don't think he ever forgave me for that, which is sad. I got on very well with Gerald for a long time and used to go and see him at his house in Burnham. 

You have appeared twice in Coronation Street - once in a storyline filmed in Malta and more recently at Granada in Manchester. What was it like to join an established show like the Street?

Oh I loved it. The first part I did in the Street happened by accident. They were filming a storyline out in Malta, where I live. They couldn't find a suitable actor there to play this part of a slightly dodgy rep and the director Duncan Foster met me and said he wanted me for the part. I didn't have a lot to do and I remember they made me read for it before they confirmed I had the part. I do remember having a lot of fun working with Simon Gregson (Steve McDonald). He is a brilliant actor and a lovely bloke too. I remember we were getting ready to film a scene and he told me he was nervous about acting with me and I told him not to be as I had no idea what I was doing! 

And then in 2014 the role of the faded rock star Ritchie De Vries came along. At the time the casting director was Janet Hampson and I refused to come over from Malta to do an audition as I felt they knew what I could do. I did offer to send a tape though and filmed myself over here. I sent the tape over and they came back to say they wanted me to come over to Manchester anyway. They wanted me to do a screen test with Sue Johnston. I had to learn a six page scene for the test and I remember being really nervous when I got to the studios to do it. I hadn't had much sleep, I'd travelled a long way and I had always been such a fan of Sue Johnston's work. There was a lot of competition for the role but when I went in to do the reading, I absolutely nailed it. I have to thank Sue a great deal for that as she was excellent in the read through and really made it work well. Everyone at Granada was really encouraging when I went in that day.

I went back to Malta only to receive a call to say I had got the part and could I fly back the next day! To begin with Ritchie was meant to be a love interest for Sue's character however by that stage she had handed in her notice to go off and do other things, which was a shame, but my contract was only for three months anyway. People like Philip Lowrie (Dennis Tanner) and Barbara Knox (Rita Tanner) were so welcoming and kind and great to be with. I loved working with Philip, such a good actor and really good in the show. I really rated him and he was a lovely man too. Such a shame he's not in the show anymore. Barbara was great to work with and felt able to speak her mind on set! 

 

I did think it was a shame that my role became pretty comedic as originally it was meant to be a bit deeper than that. I think in the end they had me play it a bit like a Confessions actor with lots of humour whereas on my first appearance, when I came through the door the character was much more furtive. Ian Bevitt had me play it like that before turning on the big personality when Ritchie met Dennis. It was much more effective that way. I wish it had developed in more depth but I still loved it. I really got into it and was rewriting storylines in my head while I was there. I got on really well with Kym Marsh and thought it would have been great if Michelle had shown an interest in Ritchie - it would have got right up Steve's nose! People like Kate Ford (Tracy) and Ian Puleston-Davies (Owen) were really friendly and welcoming. Kate kept laughing every time she saw me! She seemed to find me quite funny! 

One of my favourite people was the late Anne Kirkbride, who played Deirdre. We didn't have any scenes together but she was such a lovely presence in the green room. Every time I went in there she'd throw her arms around me and give me a hug. Such a warm lady. I wish I'd got to work with her. I remember her asking if I was staying on and I said my contract was only for three months. She said "they've got to keep you Robin! It's only ink!" which was a lovely thing to say. 

I understand you recently met up with the lovely Judy Matheson at a Misty Moon event. What was it like to catch up with her again after working on Confessions of a Window Cleaner?

Yes it was great to see Judy again at Elstree. She's quite involved with Misty Moon these days. We had known of each other before we met on the set of Confessions of a Window Cleaner so she knows that I was a serious actor before I got into those films. 

 

Judy often mentions this on Twitter you know...

Does she? I think she was a fan of some of my films before we did the Confessions.

I was in touch with her the other day and she mentioned another of your contemporaries, Richard O'Sullivan...

Oh Richard was a big, big star and a great friend to me. Richard was a good actor and very underrated. At one of the shows I did last year I mentioned him to see what kind of reaction it would get and the audience gave him a round of applause. 

You work regularly with Stuart Morriss from The Misty Moon Film Society. How did that working relationship develop?

I was first approached about doing some kind of stand up show around the time I was tested for Coronation Street but I wasn't keen. I've never enjoyed doing signing sessions or being up there on my own like that so I kept saying no. At an event, Stuart approached me and suggested doing something but I wasn't sure. I was eventually convinced and I did a one off thing at the pub in Ladywell and afterwards my friend Derren Litten (who writes Benidorm) said I should do a one man show. 

 

Stuart then arranged for me to do something similar at the Gatehouse in London as part of the Camden Fringe Festival. It was a huge success and very popular so the whole thing got on a roll from there. I always thought it would be a risk to go out on my own but my confidence has grown, thanks to Stuart and the reaction from the audiences. We've had some great reviews and people are starting to take notice of it all. Without Stuart, none of it would have happened and whatever happens with it, he'll always be a part of it.

At this point Robin plugs the fact that he has a late night gig scheduled for Tuesday 10 October at the Phoenix Artist Club. He adds that as I've never been to one of his gigs, if I don't attend this one, he'll never speak to me again. Should you wish to attend the gig (I'm obviously definitely going now) you can find out more and buy tickets here

And with that, the whirlwind that is Robin Askwith bade me farewell. It was an honour and a privilege to have a personal audience with the great Mr Askwith, who kept me entertained, answered my questions with thought and flair and was extremely open and approachable. After an hour and a half of unpredictable, fairly ribald chat my mother would once have disapproved of, I staggered off for a large gin. Let's just hope Robin follows through on his Twitter promise. I really do think he could break the internet.

Finally, a massive thank you to Stuart at Misty Moon for helping to set up the interview! 
 
The original interview, in two parts, can be found at Carry On Blogging

By Graeme Naylor

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82

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Top 25 Favourite Corrie Females - No. 3

3. DEIRDRE BARLOW (375 VOTES)

Duration: 1972, 1973-2014
Played by: Anne Kirkbride
2012 character poll position (women): 20

When we think of Deirdre, what comes to mind are the huge glasses she wore for nearly 30 years. As well as the huge glasses, she was also known for her many liaisons with the men of Coronation Street. 

After failing to lure Alan Howard from wife Elsie, Deirdre caught the eye of Billy Walker. They were due to marry but Billy fled to Jersey. Soon enough, Deirdre was dating her boss Ray Langton and they married in 1975. Deirdre gave birth to Tracy in 1977 (who’s served time in jail for murder). Ray left Deirdre for Holland in 1978 and she found comfort in Ken Barlow who she married in 1981. Ken adopted Tracy in 1986. 

In 1982, Deirdre had a headline affair with Mike Baldwin. A furious Ken found out but forgave her. But it was Ken’s infidelity with Wendy Crozier that led to their separation in 1989 and divorce in 1992. She married Moroccan waiter Samir Rachid in 1994 but he was stabbed to death the following year. Her next boyfriend Jon Lindsay led to Deirdre being wrongly imprisoned for crimes he committed but was released and found comfort again in Ken and they remarried in 2005, to everyone’s delight. 

Over the years, Deirdre worked at the builder’s yard, the corner shop, the council and as a receptionist at the medical centre. She also shared close friendships with Liz McDonald, Emily Bishop, Frankie Baldwin, Eileen Grimshaw and Bev Unwin.

While Deirdre was always portrayed as a serious character for most of her life on the street, she became a comedy character in her last years and won a legion of new fans. Indeed, she became a natural successor to her mother Blanche.

In 2014, Deirdre went to visit Bev as she was under strain from Peter’s impending court case. She never did return to the street and passed away from an aneurysm in 2015, leaving Ken, Tracy and many of the street’s residents in shock.

Were you a fan of Deirdre?

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street.
Official tribute book available from Amazon.

 

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Anne Kirkbride's husband responds to Bill Roache's claims

Anne Kirkbride's husband, David Beckett, has responded to Bill Roache's claims today, says The Mirror.

Bill claimed she was an alcoholic before her death, but now her real life husband has insisted she hadn't touched alcohol for 30 years.

David Beckett was forced to speak, says the Mirror, after Anne's co-star Bill Roache claimed she was an alcoholic who struggled to cope in her final days on the soap.

In response to the claims, Anne’s real life husband David said: “Whilst Anne would describe herself as an ‘alcoholic’, she had not touched a drop of alcohol in 30 years.”

ITV declined to comment directly on the claims made about her final days on set working. They added: “We never discuss health matters relating to an employee.”

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Beverley Callard pays tribute to Anne Kirkbride

There's a wonderful tribute to Anne Kirkbride in today's Guardian. It's written by Anne's Coronation Street co-star, and friend, Beverley Callard, who plays Liz McDonald in the show.

Beverley calls Anne her "work sister" and says that Anne never once blew a take or fluffed a line on set.

It's a funny, moving and touching tribute to one of soap's greatest actresses -  and you can read it here.

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Deirdre - A life on Coronation Street: a review

I have a collection of books based on Coronation Street, and at the end of last month another came through the letterbox.

But this is a special book. Not only is it written by our wonderful editor Glenda Young but it is also the first biography of a Corrie character - the soap icon Deirdre Hunt/Langton/Barlow/Rachid/Barlow.

I promised Glenda that I would do a review of the book, but I won't say much about the content because I don't want to ruin it for others who are yet to read it or are getting it for a Christmas present. 

The book has it all: brilliant photos, chronological storylines and features including Deirdre's men, jobs and fashions. But what else is brilliant is that includes fabulous quotes from the show from Deirdre and various other characters like Blanche, Ken and Rita. There are sometimes the script of famous Deirdre scenes like the love triangle in 1983 and her two-hander with Tracy in 2007.

What we see in this book is a wonderful character developing over 40 years - from cheeky dollybird in 1972 to the middle-aged matriarch of the Barlows who, if it wasn't for Anne Kirkbride's death, could have been a natural successor to Blanche.

There were even storylines that I wasn't aware of, and I thought I was a hard-core fan!

There's a quiz at the end and a list of her appearances which is sourced from the wonderful Corriepedia!

So I say go out and buy this wonderful book about a wonderful lady by a wonderful lady!

And let's hope this is the beginning of a biographical series. Rita next eh Glenda? Or Ken?

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.

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Trifle throwing voted fans' favourite Deirdre Barlow moment

Coronation Street Blog readers have voted Deirdre's penultimate scene back in October 2014 as their favourite Deirdre moment. 403 voted (2 were dismissed) and 93 (23.08%) voted for Deirdre throwing the trifle at No.1's wall.

In second place, receiving 56 votes (13.83%) was when she got a Manchester tart in the face by Gail in August 2010.

In third place with 52 votes (12.90%) was when she was in the courtroom in March 1998.

The other results were as follows:

Her showdown with Ken in February 1983 - 33 votes (8.19%)

Her two-hander with Tracy in March 2007 - 31 votes (7.69%)

Confronting Ken over his affair with Wendy Crozier in December 1989 - 30 votes (7.44%)

Marrying Ken for the second time in April 2005 - 26 votes (6.45%)

Marrying Ken for the first time in July 1981 - 18 votes (4.47%)

Searching for Tracy after the lorry crash in March 1979 - 12 votes (2.98%)

Her rendezvous with Dev in December 2001 - 11 votes (2.73%)

Her first appearance in November 1972 - 8 votes (1.99%)

Marrying Samir Rachid in November 1994 - 8 votes (1.99%)

Marrying Ray Langton in July 1975 - 7 votes (1.74%)

In the AA meeting in July 2009 - 6 votes (1.49%)

Her spell in prison in March and April 1998 - 2 votes (0.50%)

The following all received 1 vote (0.25%) - her death in July 2015; camping with Ken in August 2014; telling everyone Ken has gout in November 2011; no favourite moment; making peanut bowls; her singing and making stuffed marrow; her role in the Ken/Mike rivalry between 1983 and 2006; falling into Wally Bannister's pool with Tracy in June 2003; confronting Ken about his affair with Martha in May 2009; and her storyline with Jon Lindsay between May 1997 and April 1998. 

Happy with the results?

by Llifon

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - now available to pre-order
Official ITV Coronation Street tie-in book










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To all the men I've loved before - Deirdre's song

Deirdre's friends reminiscing about her in the Rovers, and especially about her track record with men, prompted me to look up the men she dallied with over the years. 

Below is a list of all Deirdre's men with a brief synopsis, with a link to their profile on Corriepedia.

1. Jimmy Frazer (1972)

When we first met Deirdre, she was Jimmy Frazer's floozy. It is unknown if this was just a one-time association. Jimmy was around 40 years older than Deirdre. When she returned in 1973, she was no longer tied to Jimmy.

2. Alan Howard (1973)

She made a pass at Elsie's husband during a party at No.11.

3. Ray Langton (1973, 1975-1978)

Deirdre briefly dated Ray in 1973 and he later secured her a job at the Builder's Yard. The relationship ended when she caught the eye of Billy Walker. After Billy fled for Jersey, Deirdre had whirlwind romance with Ray and they married 1975. Daughter Tracy was born in 1977. Ray had an affair in 1978 but they reconciled. Deirdre refused to join Ray when he got a job in Holland and they divorced in 1979. Ray returned in 2005 to make amends before he died. 

4. Billy Walker (1974-1975, 1979, 1984) 

Deirdre caught the eye of publican son Billy who was 17 years her senior. After a whirlwind romance, they got engaged and planned a big wedding, to the chagrin of Annie Walker. But weeks before the wedding, Billy got cold feet and fled to Jersey leaving Deirdre heartbroken. When he visited in 1979, he asked newly divorced Deirdre to join him in Jersey but she refused. In 1984, he made a pass at her while Ken was away but she rebuffed him. Who knows, if things had worked out differently, Deirdre might have become landlady of the Rovers! 

5. Maurice Gordon (1975)

With her engagement to Billy broken, she sought solace in Maurice and had a few drinks with him. A few weeks later she was mortified to see Maurice again and when he tried to force himself on her, Ray stepped in. When Ray comforted her, they kissed and they were married in a month!

6. Mike Baldwin (1979, 1981, 1982-1983)

She briefly dated Mike in 1979, but then chose Ken. They dated again in 1981, but fed up of Mike messing her around, she chose Ken again and they later married. But after 15 months of marriage to Ken, Deirdre was bored and began an affair with Mike that gripped the nation. Deirdre eventually confessed and with the nation was on tenterhooks wondering who she would choose, she decided to stay with Ken. Despite divorcing Ken years later, she never rekindled with Mike and instead became a good friend and confidante to him, to Ken and Alma's annoyance. It is disputed who was Mike's true love: Deirdre or Alma. Who do you think?

7. Ken Barlow (1979-1980, 1981-1990, 1993, 1996-1997, 1999-2015)

After an on/off romance, they eventually married in 1981. The marriage survived Deirdre's affair with Mike in 1982/3. Ken adopted Tracy in 1985. In 1987, Deirdre was elected councillor and this annoyed Ken as she was now on the same social level as he was. With Deirdre constantly in meetings, Ken had an affair with Wendy Crozier which ended the marriage in 1990. They had brief reconciliations in 1993 and 1996 but didn't reunite properly until 1999, thanks to Blanche's matchmaking. Despite Deirdre's fling with Dev in 2001, they married again in 2005. While both Ken and Deirdre strayed once again, they stayed together until Deirdre's untimely death. 

8. Dirk van der Stek (1981)

A colleague of Ray's in Holland. He updated Deirdre on Ray's life and took her out once or twice. While Ken warned him off Deirdre, it didn't stop him offering Deirdre to come to Holland for a visit. Deirdre never took up the offer.

9. Dave Barton (1990)

Dave was hired to fit in a new kitchen at No.1 and struck up a friendship with Deirdre. Deirdre was reluctant to go out with Dave alone as she had only separated from Ken. But they did and they kissed. Despite Ken wanting to reunite, Deirdre had no intention and continued to be romanced by Dave. Growing tired of Ken's presence, Deirdre began divorce proceedings. Dave proposed but dumped her when she rejected. 

David Beckett, who played Dave Barton, married Anne Kirkbride in 1992.

10. Phil Jennings (1990-1991)

Suave businessman Phil was attracted to Deirdre's feistiness when she campaigned against his amusement arcades. Ken once again interfered, but to no avail. Phil and Deirdre spent New Year in Paris. He later helped Deirdre with her council campaign against Alf in 1991, but she lost. Phil hid the fact that he was in debt and indeed married. Deirdre found this out before he fled the country and came to the conclusion that she was just one of his mistresses.

11. Doug Murray (1992)

She dated Doug for a while and Tracy had a crush on him. Deirdre dumped him when he used Tracy for his financial gains.

12. Samir Rachid (1994-1995)

A holiday romance in Morocco that led to her third marriage. Samir was 18 years her junior. After they married, they moved to Morocco, fed up of being gossiped about. Deirdre had to return months later when Tracy took a drug overdose and lost a kidney. The marriage was strained, and once again Ken's involvement didn't help matters. When Tracy had to have a kidney transplant, Samir was a match and was happy to help. But he was attacked one day and eventually died. Devastated Deirdre had to consent for the operation to go ahead. During many heated arguments in the future, Deirdre blamed Tracy for Samir's death.

13. Stephen Reid (1996)

She reluctantly went on a few dates with Stephen Reid, her first since Samir's death. But she ended things when she sensed he only asked her out out of pity.

14. Jon Lindsay (1997)

Undoubtedly one of Deirdre's biggest mistake as a boyfriend. Charming Jon swept Deirdre off her feet by telling her he was an airline pilot. Ken once again was concerned about Deirdre and investigated Jon - to find out that he worked in an airport tie shop! Jon confessed that he was no longer a pilot (he never was!!) due to an ear problem. Viewers soon found out that Jon was leading a double life and Deirdre moved into a new house with him and they planned to marry. Deirdre later found out that he was married and to her horror had framed her for fraud. Deirdre was found guilty (despite being innocent) and it was only when another woman who was duped by Jon came forward that Deirdre was freed. Jon was later jailed and Deirdre had to begin life again.

15. Dev Alahan (2001)

Deirdre returned to work in the Corner Shop in 2000 and found herself falling for new owner Dev. Dissatisfied with her life with Ken yet again, and after rowing with him and Peter, she slept with Dev. She was disappointed when Dev later rejected her. She kept the fling a secret until 2003 when Tracy began dating Dev. Ken was furious but forgave her.

16. Lewis Archer (2010)

After charming Rita and beginning a relationship with Audrey, Deirdre found herself under escort Lewis' spell. He pretended that he fancied her, but in reality he was only using her to get his hands on the bookies' money. When he feared that she had found him out, he kissed her which was videoed on a CCTV camera. Lewis eventually stole £4000 from the bookies and fled. Peter sacked Deirdre and she also got a tart in the face by Gail. 

And there we have it, Deirdre's conquests. But who was Deirdre's true love? In my opinion, it was good old Ken!

by Llifon

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