Top 5 ways to make an exit from Coronation Street

With the news today that Michael Rodwell will be riding out of Coronation Street in his ice-cream van next week, let's have a look at some of the other ways you could make a memorable exit from the cobbles.

1. All guns blazing - and live!

Lloyd and Andrea left in style in the back of a classic car during the Coronation Street live episode 2015.  The live episode was to celebrate ITV's 60th birthday.

Watch the scene here:



2. With an air of mystery

When Elsie Tanner left the Street in January 1984, she ordered a taxi. Ghost voices and memories from the past echo around the cobbles as she waits for the taxi. The taxi driver then asks Elsie how long she was intending to be away from the Street.  Her reply? "Ah, now there's a question!"


3.  Legging it

Kelly Crabtree's exit is one I remain very fond of.  "Where will you go? What will you do?" asks Janice as Kelly strides away up the cobbles. Kelly ignores her and just shouts to the rooftops instead: "I'm Kelly Crabtree! With the legs!"  And leg it she does, as the camera follows her up the Street and she disappears around the corner. 

4. With a scarlet woman

Gloria Price left in a sports car at night so I'm not sure the sunglasses were necessary, but she did look good. The red head scarf signifying a scarlet woman as she drove away from the Street with somebody else's husband in the passenger seat.  Not content with nicking her husband, Dennis asked Gloria to slow the car down as they left the cobbles so that they could really rub salt into Rita's wounds. "Bye, Rita!" yelled Dennis. "Tek care of yourself."   Mind you, it wasn't long before he came snivelling back.

Watch the scene here:



 5.  In a cab, like a legend

There's only one way for a Street legend to leave the show. It has to be in the back of a cab. One of the best exits was Bet Lynch. She wanders the Rovers, it's empty, she's alone. She leaves the keys to her kingdom on the bar after Rita refused to loan her the money to buy the place and keep it going.

Are there any more classic Corrie exits you would have included in your top five?
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How should Deirdre be written out?

This morning we blogged that Anne Kirkbride, who plays Deirdre Barlow, is taking a three-month sabbatical from Coronation Street.

For me, this is sad, as we've only welcomed back Ken and now we'll be saying goodbye to Deirdre for a while and once again things at No. 1 were back to normal - well, as normal as we can get on the street!

It's fair to say we've seen a lot more of Deirdre this past year than we've had in a long time. Well in more scenes per episode anyway! She has had to carry the moral support role that Ken always held and over the past year we've seen a return to the classic Deirdre we knew back in the 1980s and early 1990s - strong, independent and determined. Let's hope we don't see her return to the wimpering character we've known in the past few years. 

When the announcement was made of her temporary departure, many commented that it wouldn't make much of a difference as she doesn't hold such a key role as she did. That's a fair argument, but then again Deirdre is synonymous with Corrie and without a doubt we would feel her loss. As the Barlows are still so central to the programme, losing Deirdre to the dynamic of the family would be noticeable. She has taken over the role of Blanche naturally as it's known that daughters do eventually morph into their mothers! 

As long as there are characters linked to the character who has left or died, that character will be missed. There is still a gap at the Barlows without Blanche and the Rovers doesn't feel the same without Betty, even though she only appeared fleetingly. I missed Ken when he was away and it's nearly two months now since we last saw Rita, Norris and Emily and I want to see them again in episodes.

Anyway, I've rambled! My original reason for doing this blog post was to ask how would you like Deirdre to be written out?

With such a large cast, maybe the producers won't bother with an exit storyline. As has been said, we've not seen Rita or Emily for two months and they've not had an exit. Maybe Anne Kirkbride will film a selection of scenes that will be played out during her absence, if that is possible of course. It has been said that she's leaving in November, which means Deirdre will be dishing out stuffed marrow over Christmas so her absence won't be seen until the new year. Whereas the producers struggled with a plausible reason for Ken to leave the street as he doesn't have any sick relatives to nurse, we have the perfect reason for Deirdre - her Auntie Beryl! Beryl is of course Blanche's sister and although not seen, she has been mentioned. Deirdre could nurse Auntie Beryl for a few months while Ken could always go and visit. And wouldn't it be great if Auntie Beryl couldn't cope alone and would have to move in with the Barlows? That would be classic Corrie! And would make sense as well!

Or have you got any other ideas?

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My disappointment in Dennis

Well, Dennis Tanner has gone! Will he be back? Who knows?

I have to say that since Dennis was re-introduced into Corrie over three years ago, I have been very disappointed at the way his character has been dealt with. And this is no fault of Philip Lowrie. It's in the hands of the powers that be. Here are some of my thoughts on the weaknesses of the charatcer.

His re-introduction

When I heard the news that Dennis Tanner was being re-introduced, I was a little apprehensive. Yes, I was thrilled they were thinking of bringing him back, but yet I questioned why? There were plenty of other characters to re-introduce, why Dennis Tanner? He hadn't appeared since 1968 and only two characters, three at a push would remember him.

Then we got more info on his comeback. He would return as a tramp which was an interesting angle. You would expect that maybe Emily would find him prowling around the charity shop. But oh no, it was Rita who found him while volunteering in a homeless shelter. The producers made a mountain out of a molehill, quite frankly, of their friendship. Yes, Rita was introduced as Dennis' friend in 1964, but that was about it. For me, it would have been better for Emily or Ken to come across him and then bring him home and for Rita to recognise him. What was also weird was that Dennis didn't comment on how the street had changed since he left. He didn't comment how the Rovers had changed - how the snug or select wasn't there any more.

Lack of historical references

As I said, I was apprehensive about his return. But what I was looking forward to were references to the past. Dennis was another link to the Corrie of the 1960s along with Ken and Emily. While we got told about Elsie's fate and a reference to Martha Longhurst, I have no recollection of Dennis making any references to past characters. He could've talked about Jack and Annie Walker, the snug trio, Albert Tatlock or Lucille Hewitt. Considering his links with Gamma Garments, he never talked about Swindley with Emily. He never discussed Emily having finally got married after years of being a spinster. 

His lack of scenes with Ken were a disappointment as well. Considering he was due to ruffle Ken's feathers, no such scenes were shown. There were two years before Ken left for Canada, so there were enough opportunities. Where were the scenes where Dennis and Ken reminisced about the past and about Elsie, Frank and Ida, David and Valerie? We never saw Dennis talk to Peter about his mum. A missed opportunity.

Why didn't Linda Cheveski re-appear? Or what about a reference to Dennis' first wife Jenny?

Confinement to Rita

This was the biggest mistake they did. Since 2011, his scenes have mainly been with Rita. But I don't know why the producers chose to confine him to just Rita. They could have always maintained Rita and Dennis' friendship, like her friendship with Alf, while Dennis could communicate with other characters. I was pleased when the producers recognised the ironic link that Eileen lived at Elsie's house and that Elsie's maiden name was also Grimshaw. And it was nice how Julie took Dennis in recently. 

I was also unhappy that they married Dennis and Rita. Rita mentioned time and again that she had always wanted to be Mrs Tanner. No reference was made before and it was odd considering Rita always said that her true love was Len. For years, she refused to remarry because she still loved Len. 

There was a lot of potential for Dennis to be linked with other characters. Yes he had a friendship with Sylvia and he ran off with Gloria, but what about Audrey? They could've talked about hairdressing - Dennis was interested at one time! And  despite Gail being Elsie's lodger, no scenes were done between the characters. He became a lollipop man which gave him a story with Steve, but all was forgotten.

While Rita had always had a fun-loving and humorous nature, her marriage to Dennis made her a miserable and boring shrew. When married to Len she could be a nag which was justified, but it was a change of personality for her to be so horrible to Dennis. It was no surprise that they finally separated but it was a shame that no effort was made to portray an old aged married couple. Not many have been portrayed in soaps so it would've been a change but alas the producers didn't have time. 

Ruination of a classic Corrie character

Maybe it was a mistake bringing him back. Too much time had passed. Although when they re-introduced Jed Stone, they didn't make a mess of things but he wasn't there long! Dennis could've brought some humour back to the OAP section of the show after the deaths of Blanche and Betty and would've been a brilliant double act with Sylvia. 

They made him totally dependant on Rita which was an error as he was a pensioner so received a pension. When he courted Rita, she was sweet but when they married, she turned into a harridan. He became henpecked like Jack Duckworth and Stan Ogden.

If not making him henpecked was enough, they made him an adulterer as well - running off with Gloria. He returned a desperate man but by the end he even retorted to even stealing money from The Kabin. 

It was a shame that he was axed - a real shame. What will Rita do now? Get a divorce and revert back to Sullivan? Who knows? Rita's not having the best luck with her old friends is she? She's fallen out with Bet Lynch, Alec Gilroy and Sharon Gaskell and now Dennis! Thank goodness she's still got Mavis!

You rarely disappoint me Corrie, but this time you have.

What about you? Were you disappointed with how Dennis was dealt with? Did you have hopes for him? Leave your comments!

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Pearl anniversay of a pearl's departure

One of our commenters on Graeme's blog post about Corrie exists, has requested this blog post – so here it is!

Today is the 30th anniversary of Elsie Tanner’s final departure from Coronation Street. For some of you, you may be shocked that it was 30 years ago!

It could be said that Elsie’s departure was a milestone for Corrie in a sense that it was bidding a proper goodbye to a legend – and on-screen as well. While the characters of Martha Longhurst, Valerie Barlow and Ernest Bishop were well-loved and popular, they weren’t regarded as Corrie greats like Elsie, Annie Walker and Ena Sharples were. And also Corrie had never said a proper goodbye to its big characters before this. Jack Walker, Minnie Caldwell, Ena Sharples, Len Fairclough and Annie Walker had all been written out of the programme off-screen due to death, ill health or scandal. Pat Phoenix herself left the programme for the first time in 1973 without any notice and it was quickly written that Elsie had got a job in Newcastle. A decade later, the writers were given a chance to give a proper goodbye to Elsie and in my opinion; it’s one of the best exits in Corrie history. 

Things had changed in Corrie in those ten years – those new characters in 1973 like Deirdre, Bet, Rita, Mavis and Alf were now very well established so the production team weren’t in a panic when Pat Phoenix announced that she was leaving in late 1983 – the show was in safe hands.

Viewers were left with two questions: why was Pat Phoenix leaving and how?

At the time, some believed it was the fact that Peter Adamson had been sacked and so Len Fairclough was being written out of the show. As you know, Elsie and Len had a close friendship and even though Len had tried many times to get Elsie to be his wife, she refused, saying she preferred him to be her friend rather than a husband. This close friendship sometimes caused tension between Len and wife Rita and between Rita and Elsie. And when Len married Rita in 1977, Pat Phoenix failed to attend filming of the wedding, stating that she felt that a part of Elsie’s character was disappearing with Len getting married.

As Adele Rose told Sean Egan in his book Coronation Street: The (Very) Unofficial Story: “The value of their relationship was always in the spikiness underneath the genuine affection they had for each other. It was far more profitable in terms of story and character to keep them with the love-hate relationship going on. He was the one who could say things to her that nobody else could and vice versa. If we ever brought it to any kind of conclusion, that would have been the end of both the characters' value to the show.” Many believed that Elsie and Len would be written out together, but producer Bill Podmore announced that Len’s exit had been written before Phoenix gave her notice.

Another possible reason for her departure was the fact that she didn’t want to enter old age on the show. She feared that Elsie would morph into Ena Sharples or Annie Walker, and she didn’t want that! She also wasn’t happy with the stories that were given to her. Despite being in her fifties, she still wanted to be involved with young, attractive men but it wasn’t reality. In fact, when she announced she was leaving, it felt it was at the right time. It felt the character was coming to an end.

As for how she’d leave, leaving with Len was out of the question. What about Dennis or Linda returning for their mother’s exit?

But as it turned out, the writers and production team had worked out a plausible exit storyline. Elsie’s old flame from 1961 Bill Gregory returned to the street to visit Rita after Len died in a car crash in December. Thinking Elsie was still in Newcastle with hubby Alan Howard, Bill was shocked when the neighbours told him that she was back at N°11. They reunited after 13 years (Elsie had rebuffed Bill for Alan in 1970) and Bill tells her about his wonderful life in Portugal as asks her to join him. Although she refused at first, Bill failed to back down and Elsie agreed in the end. She did a moonlight flit and took her photographs of Linda and Dennis and wrote a few letters and put her keys through the Barlows’ letterbox. She then reminisced about her catfights with Annie Walker and Ena Sharples and telling off Dennis. It was a great piece of writing! When the cab driver asked her when she’d be returning, Elsie gave a knowing smile and said: “Ah, now there’s a question!”.

Elsie never did return. Any chances of her returning were dashed two years later when Pat Phoenix announced she was dying of cancer. There have been rumours that she left the programme because she knew she had cancer. But who knows? Twenty seven years after last appearance, we found out about Elsie’s fate post-cobbles. She married Bill and they lived a very happy life in the Algarve. They both died in 2004 when their car flew off a cliff and were holding each other’s hands when they were found. A Hollywood ending for a woman who led a Hollywood lifestyle!

And there we are, the story of the departure of a classic Corrie character – the first siren and femme fatale. She’s not remembered for any accessory like Hilda or Bet but for her love life and the kind of storylines that we crave for these days!

Mrs Tanner, we salute you – a true Corrie and TV icon!

And to keep you entertained during the wet weather, why not sit down and watch this classic episode from the 4th of January 1984 below. Did you watch it first time round? What did you think when Pat Phoenix announced her departure? Let us know - we'd love to hear!

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What makes a good Corrie exit? Now there's a question

The end of another year. I must be getting old as I don't know where the time is going. It's been another action packed year in Weatherfield and I'm sure 2014 promises much of the same. For there are many changes afoot in the new year, mostly involving cast departures. As we reach the end of the year, it seems appropriate to look at some happy (or not so happy) endings.

2014 will see several characters leave Coronation Street. Within the space of a few months we'll lose Hayley, Tina, Dennis, Gloria, Stella and Marcus. One or two I'll be really sad to see  go - the rest not so much. I think you will all know my views so I won't specify! All these impending departures have made me wonder whether it is better for well-loved characters to depart quietly in a taxi or in a blaze of glory? I'm sure we'll see a mix of both methods in the months ahead.

We already know that Hayley will have a sad, emotional goodbye while it looks like Tina's departure might spark a "dramatic" whodunnit. Will Stella and Gloria depart in the back of one of Steve's cabs? And what about Dennis and Marcus? Will they leave Weatherfield alone? We recently saw Brian drive out of the street in his van without much ceremony. Earlier this year we lost Sunita in a very explosive manner, however poor Shobna Gulati then had to endure many scenes lying in a hospital bed playing unconscious - hardly the best of both worlds.

I guess at least these actors are lucky, they will get the chance to play out a proper exit storyline, whether it be long or short. Looking back to cast departures in the past, some were not so fortunate. Original characters Annie Walker, Albert Tatlock and Ena Sharples made their final appearances without saying goodbye to the loyal Corrie audience due to the ill health or sad demise of the actors behind these Weatherfield legends. The same fate befell Bert Tilsley due to Peter Dudley's death and Len Fairclough following various revelations about actor Peter Adamson. It will always be a great shame that legendary performers like Doris Speed and Violet Carson were not allowed a final on screen flourish. 

So what are my own favourite exits? If we're going for a dramatic demise, it has to be Alan Bradley. The culmination of his long running storyline with our Rita was and is iconic. My two absolute favourites however are much more low key. I just adored Elsie Tanner's farewell in January 1984. Unlike some of her costars at the time, Pat Phoenix was given a well-rounded, thoughtful final curtain. The return of Bill Gregory, one of Elsie's first on screen loves, completed the circle and gave Elsie a fitting, happy goodbye. I still get the shivers whenever I watch her striding down the darkened Coronation Street for the last time, clutching her photos of Dennis and Linda, while famous scenes are hauntingly touched upon in the background. 

Finally, who can forget Hilda Ogden's feel-good farewell on Christmas Day 1987? Poor, downtrodden Hilda had spent years scrimping and saving, coping with Stan's lazy work shy attitudes and loving him fiercely all the same. She finally achieved the status she craved when she went off to Derbyshire to take up the position of Dr Lowther's housekeeper. Hilda's final scenes in the Rovers, complete with community singsong, was a warm touching tribute to both the legendary character and also to Jean Alexander who played her so beautifully for 23 years. 


So those are my favourite endings. What are yours? 

All that remains is for me to wish all our Coronation Street Blog followers, commentators and contributors a very happy and prosperous 2014. Happy New Year!


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Corrie fans vote Becky's exit as their favourite

Coronation Street Blog readers have voted Becky McDonald's exit in 2012 as their favourite exit. 316 of you voted and 57 (18.04%) voted for Becky's exit where she left Weatherfield for Barbados with her new boyfriend after ruining ex Steve's wedding to Tracy.

In second place came Mike Baldwin's exit in 2006 with 43 votes (13.61%). He died in the arms of nemesis Ken Barlow in front of the factory. In third place came Mike's ex Alma Halliwell who died of cancer in 2001, receiving 37 votes (11.71%). In fourth place with 35 votes (11.08%) was Lewis Archer's exit this year when he left with Gail's money.

In fifth place came Richard Hillman's exit in 2003 with 17 votes (5.38%), when he perished in the canal. Both Hilda Ogden's exit in 1987 and Liam Connor's exit in 2008 were close behind with 16 votes (5.06%) in sixth place. Maxine Peacock's exit in 2003 when she was killed by Hillman received 15 votes (4.75%) and was in seventh place. Tony Gordon's death in 2010 when he perished in the factory fire was in eighth place with 14 votes (4.43%).

In ninth place, receiving 11 votes (3.48%), was Jack Duckworth's exit in 2010. And completing the top ten tied are Alan Bradley's exit in 1989 and Elsie Tanner's exit in 1984 with 9 votes (2.85%).

Martha Longhurst's death in 1964 received 7 votes (2.22%) and was in eleventh place. In twelfth place was Anne Malone who froze to death in Frescho's freezer in 1998 with 5 votes (1.58%). Bet Gilroy's exit in 1995 received 4 votes (1.27%). Valerie Barlow's death of electrocution in 1971 received 3 votes (0.95%).

The following received 2 votes (0.63%): Ernest Bishop, Renee Roberts, Judy Mallett, Duggie Ferguson and Karen McDonald, while Brian Tilsley, Don Brennan, Patricia Hillman, Jed Stone, Natasha Blakeman, Toni Griffiths, Sarah Grimshaw and Les Battersby all received 1 vote (0.32%).

Happy with the results?

If you haven't yet, you can vote for your favourite Corrie family here.

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Vote for your favourite Corrie exit

If you haven't yet, you can vote for your favourite Corrie exit here.

Who had the best exit for you? Ernie Bishop? Alan Bradley? Anne Malone? Maxine Peacock? Mike Baldwin? Or Lewis Archer? Or maybe you have your own you'd like to add?

Voting closes on Monday, 10th June.

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Corrie A-Z: E is for Exits

Coronation Street has seen many exits over the years – deaths, midnight flits or characters moving away. Deaths prove to be ratings winners and soap deaths are the most iconic of all TV deaths.

Dramatic Corrie deaths include Ernie Bishop being shot, Brian Tilsley being stabbed, Alan Bradley getting hit by a tram, Patricia Hillman getting hit by a shovel, Maxine Peacock by a crowbar, Richard Hillman driving into the canal and Tony Gordon perishing in the factory fire. Then there are the tragic deaths of Molly Dobbs and Ashley Peacock in the 50th anniversary tram crash.

Then there are those quiet, poignant deaths of well-loved characters. Martha Longhurst, Alf Roberts, Alma Baldwin, Ray Langton and Jack and Vera Duckworth all passed away quietly but made the nation reach out for its box of tissues. And even off-screen deaths can have a great effect on viewers – with the likes of Jack Walker, Stan Ogden, Blanche Hunt and Betty Turpin coming to mind. On the other hand, some deaths have been sudden like Derek Wilton, Mike Baldwin and Fred Elliott that have also had a great effect. And the tragic deaths of young residents of the street like Valerie Barlow, Janet Barlow, Renee Roberts, Lisa Duckworth, Des Barnes, Judy Mallett, Katy Harris and Liam Connor.

Exits also come in the form of midnight flits like Elsie Tanner, Bet Lynch and Liz McDonald who left the cobbles overnight without saying goodbye to anyone.

And there are the ones who departed by leaving the area to start afresh. Usually they get a nice send-off like Hilda Ogden and Mavis Wilton.

Some characters have left without an exit storyline (Ena Sharples, Annie Walker, Phyllis Pearce) while some have had mediocre exit storylines even though they’d been in the programme for years (Percy Sugden, Martin Platt). Others have had to be written out for off-show reasons (Len Fairclough, Lucille Hewitt, Bert Tilsley, Les Battersby).

And then there’s the death of Teresa the turkey!

Who had the best exit for you? And what makes a great Corrie exit – explosions and drama or poignancy?

Voting closes on Monday, 10th June. And if you haven't yet, you can still vote for your favourite Corrie moment from the 1980s here.
 

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