The Week In Classic Corrie

MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 21st and 23rd February 1997

Tony was skipping work because he'd bought himself a new car: a bright red hot hatch that he revved round the Street.  Kev was left holding the business.  Tony burned round the back streets and while he was looking down at his radio, he smacked into a pedestrian - Joyce Smedley.  She'd asked Judy to walk her dog for her, but she'd been distracted by a little bit of fun with Gary, so Joyce had been left to do it after dark.  Judy was distraught and blamed herself for her mum's death.  Samantha went to Firman's for some shopping and Anne stopped her at the checkouts and accused her of shoplifting.  She'd planted an item in Samantha's bag, but Vanessa the vet from Emmerdale popped up as an assistant and revealed she saw Anne do it.  Eric summoned Curly to Firman's so he could apologise and be present when he sacked Anne.  She swore revenge.  At the Hour Glass (where a very young Vernon Kaye could be spotted having a pint) Liz slept with Fraser.  She told Alan she wouldn't spy on her boss-slash-lover any more, but he told her he could cancel Steve's parole if she didn't.  She went to see Steve in prison and he revealed that Fraser was married, but Fraser said they were separated, and she was the one for him.  

TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 24th and 26th February 1997

Tony called on the Mallets and admitted he was the one who hit Joyce.  Judy was rightfully furious and refused to listen to his excuses.  Tony hid away from everyone as he felt guilty and his mum came round to see Kevin to explain he was never coming back.  And you know who his mum is, of course: noted virologist Denise Welch as shameless hussy Natalie Horrocks.  Natalie said it was her money that bought Tony's half so she'd continue as a silent partner.  She promised not to interfere in the garage, but made no similar promises about his marriage.  Meanwhile Judy couldn't bear to see Scamper the dog any more because she blamed him for Joyce's death so she demanded Gary take him to the vets to be put down.  Understandably Gary didn't fancy it and got Vera to look after him while he tried to persuade Judy to change her mind.  Liz was wandering round the Street dressed as a gangster's moll and clutching a mobile phone.  Andy saw her kissing Fraser and was disgusted with her.  Meanwhile Fiona discovered that Alan had been working with Liz, and when she overheard that Liz was now sleeping with Fraser, she went to see Steve in prison.  (Incidentally they must have a really good barber in Strangeways because Steve had a great haircut).  He worried that he'd get beaten up if Fraser discovered Liz was a double agent and phoned her in a panic to tell her to be careful.  Alan confessed to Fiona that it wasn't an official operation so there was no protection for Liz and Steve.  And Roy got rid of the fruit machines from the cafe, because they encouraged gambling, though he kept the jukebox (and wished he could put the Shangri-La's in it instead of Bryan Adams; you and me both, Roy).  I notice his principles didn't extend to getting rid of the fag machine as well.

WEDNESDAY - Episode originally broadcast 28th February 1997

Jack tried to return Scamper but it was the day of the funeral so Gary asked him to keep him a little longer.  Tony turned up at the service, then visited Kevin at number 13 and admitted how bad he felt.  Afterwards, Gary brought Scamper back, and seeing him made Judy cry.  She cuddled him close.  Alan was jealous of Steve and Fiona's past but he agreed to cool it with his pursuit of Fraser.  Liz meanwhile was moving in with him.  However, Liz dropped a bit of paper with Alan's phone number on it, and Fraser found it.  He then returned home and found her hunting through his briefcase...

THURSDAY - Episode originally broadcast 2nd March 1997

The low-rent version of The Departed continued as Alan called on Fraser's wife.  It turned out Fraser hadn't actually informed her he was off with another woman.  She phoned him up, which came as a handy distraction from him interrogating Liz about the phone number in her pocket.  Liz was still scared by how angry he'd got.  Don got drunk in the pub and when he saw Mike's Jag outside he scratched it with his car keys.  Unfortunately it wasn't actually Mike's car and he sloped off, embarrassed.  Des continued to refuse to do the parachute jump, but when Derek defended him, it was the final straw and Des signed up.

FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 3rd and 5th March 1997

Be still my beating heart.  Matthew Marsden as Chris Collins turned up and applied for the vacancy at the garage.  He impressed Kevin with his mechanical skills and he impressed me with his general hotness.  Meanwhile Derek was convinced he was a homeless person because he was wearing beaten up army fatigues and rolling his own ciggie.  Alf and Audrey returned from their holiday to find all change in the Street.  When Gail told Audrey that Roy now owned the majority of the business she was convinced he'd run it into the ground.  Audrey volunteered to help out, so Roy suggested she take the slops out the back for the pig man, and she left in a huff - which amused Gail.  Meanwhile Alf received a visitor, the wife of a teacher at Wethy High who'd been made redundant.  She demanded that Alf reverse his decision as one of the Governors because Sue had only saved Ken because they were having an affair.  Alf defended Ken, and told him about the gossip, which Ken assured him wasn't true.  However, Audrey spoke to Deirdre and discovered the truth, leaving a furious Alf to confront Ken for making a liar of him.  (Bryan Moseley looks noticeably more ill in his scenes, sadly).  Fraser and his henchman Gerry watched over a robbery, but the police turned up and stopped it.  Gerry was convinced Liz must have grassed them up and he discovered that the Alan on the bit of paper was a policeman and the boyfriend of Fiona.  Fraser lost his temper and confronted Liz, and she admitted she'd been asked to spy on him, but she'd told Alan nothing.  Fraser believed her, but Gerry didnt - and then Alan turned up to arrest him...

This whole gangster business is absolutely terrible.  If you have an explanation for why Corrie keeps doing these rubbish Long Good Friday rip-offs please let me know on Twitter @merseytart.

Classic Corrie is on ITV3 weekday afternoons and is also on the ITV Hub.

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The Week In Classic Corrie

MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 3rd and 5th February 1997

Ken's tried to explain things to Deirdre, but when the explanation is "I slept with the headmistress eight minutes after you walked out", there's not much more you can say.  She slammed the door in his face.  Meanwhile Sue Jeffers was distant to him at school so he'd generally mucked up his home and work life.  Martin told Mike that Roy had cash in the bank and ready to spend so he agreed to sell the cafe to him.  Alma was upset though, as she thought Gail was taking advantage of him and his simple mind (although Gail had earlier told Martin that she thought Roy was special and the rest of us were average, which is bang on).  However, Gail accused her of being patronising, and Alma changed her mind and sold to him.  Mike was thrilled and wondered if they could've fleeced Roy for a few more grand.  Mike was also upsetting Sally, because she couldn't handle the pressure of making counterfeit clothing.  Ida Clough was sniffing round a locked cupboard and getting suspicious, so Mike told her it was because they suspected the staff were thieving.  Ida turned on Sally and accused her of being in Baldwin's pocket and grassing up the workers.  She went home and broke down in tears with Kevin as she admitted what was going on.  

TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 7th and 9th February 1997

Samantha took Sean to a judo class and was impressed by his talents.  She decided that they should do a charity parachute jump together which absolutely terrified him.  He tried to back out by claiming he didn't get any sponsors, but an amused Des popped up with £20 and said all his other employees would sponsor him.  Sally told Mike she'd happily work for him, but not on the dodgy stuff, but he said she couldn't pick and choose.  He said she'd have to leave because the counterfeit goods were keeping the business afloat.  She called his bluff and resigned, so Mike took on Ashley to help him flog the stuff at the markets, which annoyed Don.  Rita saw that the Websters needed a break and took Sophie and Rosie out on her country pub lunch with Alec.  Alec was not even slightly amused.  Fraser the gangster left prison, and decided that he wanted to see Liz immediately.  He turned up at her pub and bought her some champagne.  Oh Liz, you really are quite stupid sometimes.

WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 10th and 12th February 1997

Curly went to Eric Firman, concerned that Anne was making him out to be a sexual pervert who preyed on the female staff.  Eric was dismissive, but was unhappy to learn he'd trusted a member of the shop staff with the keys to the shop so he could slink off early.  The tension bubbled over and he argued with Anne, making her cry, and Eric seemed to be taking her side.  Jack wanted to go to a Victualler's Ball with Vera, but they needed someone to look after the pub.  He tried to get Betty to cover, but she refused, so he tried to wind her up to get her to agree.  Of course it went wrong and she stormed out because we haven't had this storyline for about six months.  She finally returned when Billy realised she'd be under his feet.  Alan told Fiona that Fraser was not only a dangerous nutter, he was also married.  He refused to let her tell Liz the truth though because he hoped she would lead him to a promotion.  Meanwhile, Sally told Ashley the stuff he was selling was knock-off, so he told Mike he wasn't interested any more, and Deirdre told Ken they were going to have to be just friends.

THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 14th and 16th February 1997

It was Valentine's Day and Betty arrived at the Rovers to cover.  Jack and Vera went off to their dance, but Tricia had to stop working behind the bar when her waters broke.  She gave birth in the back with Betty and Jamie helping out.  However, the baby was five weeks premature, so he was rushed off to the hospital.  Jamie and Tricia both worried he wouldn't pull through.  Don, being the nasty bit of goods he is, suggested to Jack that maybe the baby wasn't really premature and Terry wasn't the father.  Fraser arrived at the Hour Glass with an announcement: he was buying the pub.  Alan was intrigued to find out, and told Liz about his dodgy dealings.  He asked her to keep him up to speed with what he did.  Curly missed a meeting when Anne didn't arrive to take him to work.  She said the car broke down, but he didn't believe her, and they argued loudly and violently.  She tried to be nice to him and he called her mad and shook her - just as Eric appeared out of the Gents.  He sacked Curly.  I'm not surprised - it was pretty nasty.  Anne turned up the next day and asked if they could be friends.  Obviously he said no, and she turned on Samantha, because she's barmy.  Samantha continued to canvass for sponsors, and Des was horrified to discover Sean had signed him up as well.  He backed out immediately.  

FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 17th and 19th February 1997

Thanks to Don's poisonous tongue, Jack had serious doubts that the new baby was Terry's, and went to the hospital to try and find out.  Instead he got Tricia crying on his shoulder.  He spoke to Martin and he assured him that the baby was premature.  Samantha got drunk so she could get the courage to have sex with Sean.  He was disappointed that she needed to be loaded and left.  They talked the next day and she said she might need counselling because she really doesn't like sex.  Alan floated the idea that Steve could be moved to another prison where Fraser couldn't get at him - if Liz kept him informed on her boss's criminal activities.  Deirdre was horrified to hear Fraser was out and in her life, but Liz said she'd be fine.  Deirdre twigged that she fancied him - a fact confirmed when Liz ended up snogging him.  Ashley tried to get close to Maxine, but she kept stringing him on, which angered Don.  He said all hairdressers were the same and she was as bad as Denise at leading blokes on and not delivering.  Ashley told Don to keep his nose out of his private life.  

There are a couple of significant arrivals in next week's episodes, and one tragic departure.  We'll be watching them with popcorn on Twitter @merseytart. 

Classic Corrie is on ITV3 every weekday afternoon and is also on the ITV Hub.

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All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

The Week In Classic Corrie

MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 17th and 19th January 1997

There was yet more bad news for Don as Betty's Hot Shot won a race, just after he'd sold his portion to Jack.  He was livid and even more so when he discovered Jack had also had a bet on the horse.  Fred meanwhile had made a bomb because he'd got a tip off from the stables.  Jack demanded that they couldn't meet up with the stables unless the whole syndicate were present.  Denise and Ken agreed to settle out of court with Daniel staying up in Scotland with her.  Ken offered to give them maintenance but she didn't want his money.  So instead, he decided to just forget Daniel even existed for a decade.  Mike was forced to tell his workforce that they'd lost the contract, but he kept quiet about the fact that he had no other work; it seemed all his old contracts were all bust or retired.  He discovered that Stephen had pulled out of a lot of his contracts and was using flimsy excuses all round.  Sally ended up arguing with Audrey because she felt Stephen had let them all down.  And Anne invited her parents round for Sunday dinner with her and Curly, which put the fear of God into him, so he dumped himself on Samantha at number 7 and told her he was moving back in.

TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 20th and 22nd January 1997

The fallout from Kbec withdrawing their contract began to affect Gail and Alma's relationship, as it was Gail's brother who'd caused all the trouble.  They argued loudly and violently, pulling all the skeletons out of the closet, and leaving Roy upset.  When Mike told Alma they were going to have to sell the Crimea Street flats, she decided she'd sell her half of the cafe as well.  Curly and Samantha came to an agreement; he'd move back in, but she'd get the big bedroom.  Anne - who still fancied him - demanded that he move back in with her and when he refused she told Eric Firman Curly had been sexually harassing her.  Curly assured him there were no grounds, but Eric was disturbed to hear about his antics at Bettabuys, and told him he was on a final warning.  Ashley went and got his hair cut by Maxine, and was clearly besotted.  Maxine asked him to be a hair model for her.  

WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 24th and 26th January 1997

Samantha went hiking with Sean across some absolutely freezing looking moors.  They ended up at a country pub... which was closed.  He was angry at their wasted time but it turned out to be for the best, as Samantha finally opened up, confessing that she was running away from a bad marriage and a load of debt.  Alma told Gail she was selling up.  Gail was understandably upset, and the two of them sobbed their heart out together, which was quite moving.  Gail tried to find someone who could lend her the money to buy the other half, considering asking Alf, but Stephen turned her down flat.  Meanwhile Mike got a buyer for the flats but they needed them to be vacant, which was bad news for Deirdre.  At least she had her burgeoning relationship with Ken, though she was amused to see that his headmistress, Sue Jeffers, still carried a torch for him.  

THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 27th and 29th January 1997

Mike admitted to his employees that he didn't have the work to keep them all on and half of them would have to go.  Sally was shocked to discover that the only work they had left was knock-off Kbec stuff; she protested, but Mike said it was either that or everyone would be made redundant.  With the sale of the flats on the cards, Ken suggested Deirdre move back in with him, but she worried that she was going backwards and falling into old patterns.  He told her he loved her, but Mike urged her to get the hell away from Weatherfield.  Meanwhile Sue made two other teachers redundant instead of Ken and told him he owed her a favour.  I bet she did.  Anne refused to be alone with Curly in case he pounced on her.  Fat chance.  Ashley agreed to let Maxine bleach his hair blonde just so he could spend all afternoon with her,  establishing a lifetime of him being her doormat.  Becky loved it, but she had a massive crush on Ashley, so that wasn't a surprise.

FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 31st January and 2nd February 1997

It looked like Alma was going to sell the cafe to a pizza chain run by a young Eddie Windass.  Roy was panicking about where he would live once the sale of the Crimea Street flats went through.  It occurred to him that he could buy the cafe and then he'd get the flat as well.  He cashed in his savings accounts, much to Gail and Martin's astonishment, and made Alma an offer.  However the Baldwins thought he was being a nutter as usual and humoured him, saying they'd let him know.  He was quite delightfully Roy throughout.  Meanwhile Sally was greatly taken with Mike's business skills, and loved being at the cutting edge of sales.  Judy and Gary had a pregnancy alert, but it turned out to be nothing.  Given that they'd been trying for so long, they decided there must be a problem, and they'd have to have fertility tests.  Judy wasn't keen.  Ken once again asked Deirdre to move in with him, but she declined.  She said she was happy the way things were but Ken wasn't.  He accused her of using him to get over Samir.  When Sue came round, they shared a drink, and as is almost inevitable with Barlow, he jumped into bed with her.  Which was awkward when Deirdre let herself in and found them...

@merseytart is giddy to see Roy assume his rightful place at the cafe.

Classic Corrie is on ITV3 every afternoon and is also on the ITV Hub.

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