Norris began to make inroads into becoming a regular. He started work at the Kabin and immediately foxed Rita with his idiosyncratic displays and filing systems. He also took on lodgings at Jack and Vera's B&B with a delightfully superior attitude, sneering at the way his chops were done. Gail fretted about Martin and the woman she'd seen him with. Her name was Rebecca, and Martin was letting her cry on his shoulder while she had marital problems, but as far as Gail was concerned she was Martin's bit on the side. He told her she was wrong but she refused to believe him and slapped him. Alma's decree nisi came through, leaving her upset, but Leanne's decree absolute made her a lot cheerier. She reverted back to Battersby and romped happily with Mark.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 8th and 10th December 1999
Be afraid, be very afraid. Stephen Graham was locked up (or alternatively got a better acting job) and so his patch of dodgy dealing was sold on - to Jez Quigley. He snarled and smirked and made Steve anxious. However, Leanne took him with her to a party at Toyah's and got absolutely wasted, leaving Toyah in tears. Fred dressed up as Santa to flog a load of reindeer meat in Freshco's. Unfortunately everyone reacted with horror when they realised what it was, especially the kids in Santa's grotto who burst into tears. Natalie discovered that none of her staff wanted to work Millennium Eve and told them to sort it out among themselves - if they all refused to work, they'd all be fired. Nita slept with her boss, James, and he suggested she should go for a better position at Freshco because she had "potential".
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 12th and 13th December 1999
It was Monica's first race at the track and, to the delight of her backers, she came first. Jim celebrated with Gwen, a woman from the factory, and was pleased when she asked him out on a date. Tyrone's celebrations were cut short when Monica was promptly run over by Mark in the Jag. She got a pin in her leg but it meant she'd never be able to race again. Leanne went round to the Baldwin flat and stole a £50 note. Mike questioned Linda, to her disgust, and she pointed out that Leanne had been visiting. Mark confronted her about the missing money and said he didn't want to date a thief. She told him to get lost because she had a new love: cocaine. At the Rovers, Natalie decided she'd have to close up on the Millennium if none of her bar staff would work, and would have to advertise for replacements. Leanne, Betty and Vinny worried they'd be out of a job come January. They ended up drawing straws, and though Betty and Leanne came out, Vinny swapped his straw so Betty could go down to see Her Gordon. What a gent.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 15th and 17th December 1999
Nita didn't get the job at head office and realised James had been using her. She tried to confront him, but he said she'd used him just as much, so they were quits. Curly tried to help her out but she thought he was trying it on with her (and let's be honest, given his track record, that wouldn't be surprising). Danny booked a Christmas holiday for Sally and the girls (oooh, Southport in December, how lovely) but Kevin was upset he wouldn't see his daughters over the break. Toyah tried to make up with Leanne but after only a couple of episodes of taking cocaine she was now a rampaging drug addict susceptible to insane mood swings; she told Toyah her life was pathetic. She saw Leanne buying drugs and told her to go ahead and kill herself. The Platts called a truce long enough for them to attend the hospital Christmas party. Gail encountered Rebecca, and found she liked her. She felt sorry for her the way husband treated her. Don't fall for it Gail, she's a monster. And Tyrone turned 17, but when he didn't properly read his birthday card, Jack and Vera realised he was illiterate.
FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 19th and 20th December 1999
After weeks of hovering round the edge of storylines, Dev finally became part of the Street, buying all of Ravi's shops off him so that he could support his new life in India. Vik and Nita were upset that their dad hadn't even told them what was happening, but Dev agreed to cancel Vik's debt if he carried on working in the shop. Tyrone was embarrassed his inability to read was now public. Vera and Jack wanted to help, and persuaded Ken to give him lessons. He felt humiliated, and refused, but Toyah overheard and told Tyrone that Ken was a fantastic teacher. It was enough to persuade him to accept help. Maxine (who's had her perm chopped off) was hosting Christmas at number 4 and wanted to make sure everything was perfect. She decided to have a practice run and managed to ruin everything. Ashley took her to the pub to console her - forgetting that there was a bath running. It flooded the house and left the place in need of structural work and redecorating.
MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 22nd and 24th December 1999
Kevin had an early Christmas with Rosie and Sophie. I say early Christmas; he gave them a video and a burger, so it wasn't exactly Miracle on 34th Street. When she picked them up Sally admitted she'd had a Christmas card from Alison - she was in Morecambe. He rushed there and found her pregnant with his baby. He tried to persuade her to return with him but she still couldn't get past the fact that he didn't trust her. Underworld had their Christmas party in a restaurant but Mike ducked out early. He ran into Alma and they ended up going for a meal together. He admitted that even though Linda made him happy, he wanted to be friends with Alma. Mike returned to the flat and discovered Linda had brought the party back there. He threw them all out, embarrassing her, but she was even more humiliated when Leanne told her Mike had spent the evening with his ex-wife. Fred overheard Ashley talking about an addition to the family and jumped to the conclusion that Maxine was pregnant. Ashley had other problems, however; Sergei, one of the blokes from the trawler he hitched a ride on, turned up on the doorstep to invite himself for Christmas.
TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 25th and 26th December 1999
Merry Christmas! Gary went to the B&B to celebrate with Jack and Vera but the moment was ruined when Terry turned up. Obviously then ended up rowing and Gary thumped him. Vera admitted she was disgusted with him, slapped her son round the face and sent him away, saying she never wanted to see him again. Sergei cooked the dinner and impressed both Audrey and Maxine's mum with his suaveness. Fred presented Ashley with the house as a Christmas present for their new family, but Ashley told him Maxine wasn't pregnant; the new addition was a kitten. Fred spotted how close Sergei and Audrey were getting, and, jealous, asked him to leave. Audrey intervened and asked him to stay at her house. At the hospital, a young boy was run over and killed. Rebecca was upset so Martin consoled her... with his penis. The two of them had sex in a storeroom and then Martin went home to his family, feeling guilty when Gail threw herself at him. (This is the second time Martin has spent the festive season copping off with another nurse; he must have a thing for tinsel). Vinnie and Natalie cleaned up the Rovers and of course ended up sleeping together, Duggie returned to try and give Tom a salon in the new Victoria Street development, and Linda stormed out of Mike's because she thought he was putting Alma and Mark ahead of her.
WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 27th and 29th December 1999
Audrey enjoyed flirting with Sergei, who wandered round the house in just a towel, though she felt it was just a bit of fun. He surprised her by proposing marriage. For a moment she considered it because she was lonely, but the police turned up and arrested Sergei for jumping ship; she realised he was after her passport. It turned out Leanne had been getting all her coke on tick from Jez, and now he wanted his money. She didn't have any though and, when she refused his advances, he demanded she rob the Rovers. Linda got drunk in the Rovers and accused Alma of trying to steal Mike back. She stayed at Nita's and the factory girls found it hilarious. At the hospital, Rebecca turned up with a black eye. Martin wanted to help but made it clear he was a married man so he was just being friendly.
THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 31st December 1999 and 1st January 1999
It was the Millennium, and Coronation Street was closed for a fancy dress street party. Some highlights: Tyrone as an astronaut, Blanche as Carmen Miranda, and Steve McDonald running the tombola while dressed as a spiv. Rita naturally took the opportunity to burst into song, regaling the Street with On The Street Where You Live whether the residents liked it or not. Jez had a plan to get his money back: he was going to rob the Rovers. All he needed was Leanne to unlock the door and tell him where the takings were. She tried to pay him back with sex but it didn't work, and two thugs hid in the pub toilets to rob the place. Leanne tried to stop them but they knocked her unconscious. Ken unveiled a photo collage of all the old residents, which I've of course screen grabbed below, because it's a total nostalgia fest.
He got a dramatic montage of old clips as he got nostalgic, with Annie and Hilda making guest appearances. In the factory, Linda told Mike it was all over, and Mark told her she'd wrecked his dad. The two of them ended up having sex on the factory floor, but managed to get dressed before Mike returned with a proposal for Linda nd an offer for Mark to be his business partner. Kevin decided he couldn't leave Alison and his baby in Morecambe, and set off to propose marriage to her. He persuaded her to return to Weatherfield. Martin visited Rebecca at the nurse's home just as her husband turned up. He assumed they were at it and called her a lying tart and said she wouldn't get rid of him that easily. And as the last of the fireworks died down, there was a knock at the back door of number 7. It was RAQUEL!
FRIDAY - Episode originally broadcast 2nd and 3rd January 2000
Curly answered the door and was obviously shocked to see his estranged wife on the doorstep. He asked her in and, after a while, she confessed why she was there. When she'd left Curly, more than two years ago, she'd discovered she was pregnant. She was afraid that if she'd told him she'd have found herself coming back to Weatherfield so she kept it a secret. Now Raquel and Curly had a little girl, Alice Diana (after Princess Di, of course). She shared some pictures with him then told him another bombshell: she was pregnant by a French man she'd been nanny for, and now she needed a divorce to marry him. Curly went through every emotion - anger, denial, frustration - before he finally reconciled himself to the fact that he had to let Raquel go. As the sun rose on the year 2000, they said goodbye, Raquel insisting he come to visit Alice in France, and wishing him a happy life. Sarah Lancashire was, unsurprisingly, superb throughout. It was a beautiful little half hour play in which we got to bid farewell to one of the show's greatest characters.
The following day Leanne woke up in hospital a hero. The Street believed that she'd done her best to stop the robbers at the Rovers, not realising that they were there because of her. When the police asked Vinny and Natalie to explain the events of the robbery, he admitted he'd been at another woman's house, infuriating Natalie. Blanche announced that she was selling her flat and moving in permanently with Ken and Deirdre. They were horrified, but she manipulated them into begging her to stay with them, because she is ace. Linda left Mike dangling about whether she was going to accept his proposal or not. Mark took her to one side and told her to say no - she'd slept with him so she clearly didn't love his dad. Linda wasn't so sure. She said she'd move in with Nita while she considered her options - including which Baldwin she liked best.
The author isn't sure whether he's going to persist watching Classic Corrie now we've reached the year 2000. It's not quite so much fun any more, and we've got a bit of a lull, storyline-wise coming up. On the other hand, if he sticks around he'll get to see drippy Alison die. Let him know what you think on Twitter @merseytart.
Classic Corrie is on ITV3 weekday afternoons and is also on the ITV Hub.
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