Death by their own hand

Since the news is full of the possible suicide of John Stape, I wondered if there have actually been any successful suicides on Coronation Street? There are a handful that I can remember but they are few and far between. Soaps tend not to feature successful suicides so as not to be blamed for a fan doing the same. Thus, most people on soaps, Corrie included, who attempt to take their own lives are usually either saved at the last minute or are unsuccessful and are revived with medical attention.

The first Corrie character to die at his own hand was Joe Donelli. He killed Steve Tanner, a murder that Len Fairclough was suspected of committing. Joe had run off but returned a year or so later and held Hilda Ogden Minnie Caldwell (thanks commenter!) hostage. Stan changed places with him but couldn't prevent him from turning the gun on himself. We only heard the shot from the outside of the house.

Janet Barlow was Ken Barlow's second wife. They had a stormy marraige and separated in 1976. In early 1977, she returned and wanted a reconciliation but Ken rejected her. He found her in the morning, dead, having taken sleeping pills. 

Don Brennan, who had terminal cancer, tried to get revenge on Mike Baldwin but in the end, drove Alma's little red sports car into the viaduct at the end of the street back in 1997. He died in the resulting fireball. The scorch marks were on those bricks for years until the Joinery was built last year and then all the bricks came down with the tram crash.

Katy Harris killed her father in a fit of rage. Her mother took the blame for it and Katy, a diabetic, overdosed herself on sugar, the guilt she felt having been too much for her.

Those are the only ones I can remember but maybe you can think of anyone else? Some characters, such as Sheila Birtles, Ken Barlow, Les Battersby and Bet Lynch have thought about it but were saved by a friendly face and encouraging word. David Platt drove his car into the canal but was only trying to ruin Sarah's wedding.

Thanks to Corrie.net who list over 120 characters (minor and major) and 2 animals that have died since the start of the Street.

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1970

Day 10 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

Christmas 1970 saw the conclusion of a story that had started some 2 years earlier. When Steve Tanner had been found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs in September 1968 there had been no evidence to condemn anybody of foul play. In November Joe Donnelli, a friend of Steve Tanner’s from the American base at Burtonwood turned up on Coronation Street and lodged with Minnie Caldwell. A dangerous and violent man who enjoyed going to war, he locked Irma Barlow in the flat above the shop and confessed to how he had murdered Steve over a gambling debt. Threatening her with a pair of scissors he told her he would not let her share her secret with anyone.

For over two weeks he kept her in a constant state of fear as his prisoner in the shop. Knowing something was amiss, some of the residents lured them both to the Rovers, having called the Military Police. Joe escaped and went to no. 5 where he held a terrified Minnie at gunpoint. Unaware of the gun, Stan Ogden crashed into the house to deal with the ‘damn Yank’ who had threatened his daughter, Irma. Joe let Minnie go but held turned his gun on Stan. As the end credits rolled on Christmas Eve, a single shot rang out and viewers had to wait until after the festivities to find out that Joe had shot himself and for once in his life, Stan was the hero.
In June 1970, the 1000th episode was transmitted. John Braine, author of Room at the Top wrote in a TV Times supplement: ‘The most important character in the Street is the Street itself. No matter who comes and goes, the Street remains.’ Words that still hold true as we head towards the 50th anniversary.

By 1970, the programme had been broadcast in ten other countries including Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Holland, Greece and Sierra Leone, where it was voted the most watched television series, although there were only 3000 TV sets in the country.

Also in 1970: David Barlow & son Darren die in Australia; Elsie Tanner and Alan Howard marry; Dave Smith arrives; Bet starts work at the Rovers; Stan Ogden sells some of Ena Sharples’ songs to club singer Mickey Malone; Handel Gartside romances Minnie Caldwell.