Kate Oates, Queen of Returnees

One of the many things that's admirable about Kate Oates' tenure as producer of Coronation Street is the sheer amount of old characters she has brought back to the cobbles. So far we've had Gina Seddon, Rosie Webster, Daniel Osbourne, Toyah Battersby, Adam Barlow, Brian Packham and Denise Osbourne return.

Not only that, but we've been treated to the name dropping of a multitude of well-loved characters. After all, you never forget people who mean a lot to you, as this recent scene with Rita proves:

In just two and a half minutes, lovely Rita recalls Alec Gilroy, Elsie Tanner, Mavis Wilton, Len Fairclough, Fred Elliott, Tina McIntyre, Alf Roberts and Ted Sullivan. I was gobsmacked! In the past, we've had Gail mention Tricia Hopkins which was lovely, especially given they were best friends for some time.

So this had me thinking as we look ahead to a brand new year on Coronation Street. Who would I like to return? Here's my top five picks.

5. Becky McDonald

I'd love to see what she made of Steve's recent affair and baby Oliver, and there'd be great scenes with David remembering Kylie. I really expected her to return for Kylie's funeral which was a huge huge shame.

4. Martin Platt

No matter how many times Gail has been married, she is always referred to by fans as Gail Platt. A reunion with Martin would be fantastic, someone she could settle down with eventually. A return seems very unlikely though, as the actor now makes cheese for a living.

3. Emily Bishop

Come back from Peru, Emily! You're a huge miss! Although she didn't have many storylines in the past few years, her presence on the street was wonderful given the amount of time Eileen Derbyshire had been on the show.

2. Janice Battersby

Someone to really rattle the cage in the Battersby family, giving her daughters Toyah and Leanne a good shake after being rather pathetic in recent months. She could also act as a mother to Eva.

1. Mavis Wilton

What Rita needs is her old pal Mavis by her side during the tough time she's having. Gemma suggested Rita go visit Mavis, but why doesn't Mavis make the trip back to Weatherfield? Now that is something I'd love to see.

Which five characters would you like to see return?

You can follow me on Twitter, @MichaelAdamsUk

---

Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Why Corrie would be crazy to kill off Rita

 

I'm flipping furious and that's a fact. There has been a great deal of publicity surrounding Coronation Street legend Rita Tanner over the past few days. Yes folks, her future is in doubt. Well, according to the tabloid press it is at any rate. I'm usually one to take these things with a huge pinch of salt as this kind of story sells newspapers and while Coronation Street are neither confirming nor denying the news, no news is good news as it suits the show to have Twitter a-flame about the famous Weatherfield redhead and #SaveRita trending away merrily. 

I'm torn on the whole issue. One the one hand I don't want anything rotten to happen to our Reet but on the other, at least it gives the Queen of the Kabin something to do other than raise an eyebrow heaven-ward at Mary and make camp asides at Norris Cole's campy side. The brilliant Barbara Knox has demonstrated time and time again what a cracking actor and asset she is to the Street showcasing her talents for both high drama and sparkling comedy since she joined the show on a permanent basis back in 1972. Being part of a double act in Corrie is normally a sign of legendary status however being part of several is taking the whole thing into a different cobbled stratosphere. Over the years we've seen Rita enjoy and endure a fiery, tempestuous marriage with Len; a sequined shoulder padded mare-fest with Bet Lynch; a chalk and cheese joyous pairing with dithery Mavis and most recently the Rita and Norris show. Legendary doesn't do it justice.

 

So why am I flipping furious? I loathe all the wild speculation at the imminent demise of such a strong character as Rita. She's weathered more storms than I've had gin and tonics. Let's look at the evidence: 

Rita's been the resident artiste at the Crossroads-esque Gatsby. She's woken up next to Len Fairclough after a night on the ale during the very brown 1970s (just what did they get up to during the ITV strike of 1979? She's brought up a teenage ginger-winge in Jenny Flamin' Bradley. She's tussled with a Blackpool tram (wearing a horrendous gold lame mac) to get away from evil Jenny's evil father. She married a sweet salesman with a BRAIN TUMOUR - been here already dear!. She endured the ups and downs <shudders> of the Wiltons' bedroom pursuits (it's all about the parsnips). She crawled through that awful storyline which saw a love hatch created between her flat and that of Bet's leftovers, Alec Gilroy. She inhaled a nasty dose of carbon monoxide poisoning, piped in by Mad Axe Man Brian Park. She was nearly flattened by a flying tram, coiffeure remaining intact throughout - "What is it with me and trams?" And for the past 40 years, she's been made to sing at will, sometimes while dressed as a pearly queen.

 

Those reasons alone are enough for Rita to hug a deadly illness and say "take me now!" but for me, Coronation Street just would not be the same without Rita Tanner and the brilliant Barbara Knox who plays her. I believe some online journos would call Rita a "legacy character". I'd call that a load of balls. Rita is quite simply class. She links the old with the new, bridges the gap between so many classic stories and characters with the generation which will hopefully keep the Corrie flag flying proudly. She has moved with the times, still has the wow factor and is one of the few surviving Corrie people who we fans would speak of in hushed tones if we ever had the stupendous fortune to curtsy before her. Rita and Barbara are Street royalty, part of the very fabric of the show and in the days when real bona fide Corrie legends are so thin on the ground, we surely cannot bid farewell to Rio Rita so soon. As a character and an actress she has much more to give.

I have moaned on before about how I feel Corrie's focus has switched away from portraying the lives of older people. It used to be such a strength. These days it's much more like Hollyoaks with added barm cakes. There are loads of younger characters I relish seeing but that trusted community of older characters has long since diminished and as of yet, they have not been replaced. Ten years ago we had Ken and Deirdre, Betty, Blanche, Jack and Vera, Emily and Audrey. Now we're down to Ken, Rita and Audrey (who has somewhat disappeared this year). The backbone of Corrie was always the older characters and the older audience who watched them, empathised with them and followed their ups and downs loyally for decades. 

 

Of course I'm not ignoring the possibility that Barbara Knox has decided to switch out the lights in the Kabin for one last time. She has been dedicated to Coronation Street longer than I've been on this earth and no matter what happens, we have decades of glorious moments to savour again and again. If Barbara has indicated she wants to retire or just move on, fair play and we should all respect her for that. Six episodes a week is looming and I've ordered my bulking up powders in preparation for watching it all, never mind learning the lines and being in it. If this is goodbye, I'd much rather see Rita go out with a fond farewell akin to Jean Alexander's exit back on Christmas Day 1987. The fondness the audience felt for that character and the years we'd collectively watched her struggle meant that a sweet finale that left a warm glow was all it could ever possibly be. I feel the same about Rita. So if she must endure this nasty brain tumour rubbish, please let's see that tough old broad Reet fight it tooth and nail and win. Then perhaps she can reassess her golden years, Mavis can make a brief reappearance and the pair can exit stage right together, Cartmel-bound. 

Nothing has been confirmed by ITV. We don't know how it will pan out, how long the story will last and how it will end. I will be bloody annoyed if it ends with credits rolling over a black screen and silence. I'd find that decision hard to stomach, so I hope you are reading Kate Oates.

To finish, a few reasons why Rita is simply the best, and therefore demands the very best from us and those who steer the show in 2017. First up, a joyous bit of gentle comedy from the 1990s. Remember when Corrie did comedy instead of locking people in cellars?

Here's a classic ding dong between Rita and Bet back in 1995:

 
And to show just what Barbara Knox (and Eileen Derbyshire) are capable of, have a look at this from 1983:

And I couldn't end without Rita's rendition of A Winter's Tale post-Tram Crash apocalypse:

And don't forget Rita's come back from the brink once before:

So please, Coronation Street, don't let this be the end of RIta. She deserves a whole lot better than a brain tumour and some silent credits.

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82

---

Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Top 25 Favourite Corrie Females - No. 23

23. MAVIS WILTON (146 VOTES)

Duration: 1971, 1972, 1973-1997
Played by: Thelma Barlow
2012 character poll position (women): 21

Prissy Mavis Riley was introduced in 1971 as a workmate of Emily Nugent’s at the warehouse. 

After a brief stint working as a vet’s receptionist and shop assistant, she was hired by Rita Littlewood to be her assistant at the newly opened newsagents ‘The Kabin’ in 1973. Over the next 24 years they would form a wonderful double act and friendship that lasts off-screen to this day.

As well as being workmates, Mavis and Rita were also best mates and confided in each other when they had personal problems. Despite being chalk and cheese, they shared a strong bond.

Budgie lover Mavis had her fair share of male attention as well. She was barely behind the Kabin counter that she was wooed by builder Jerry Booth. They had an on/off relationship and they both shared the same personality. Sadly Jerry’s premature death in 1975 prevented the relationship from developing. No sooner that Jerry was in his grave that Mavis was being wooed by salesman Derek Wilton.

For the next 11 years Derek would pop in and out of Mavis’ life and lead her a merry dance, much to Rita’s chagrin. But in 1983 he had to battle for Mavis when potter Victor Pendlebury came on the scene. In a love triangle to rival Ken/Deirdre/Mike, Mavis was forced to choose between Derek and Victor. She chose Derek and they planned to marry but they both jilted each other in 1984. A Wilton jiltin’ indeed!

But Mavis eventually did marry Derek in 1988 and they lived a happy life despite being the butt of neighbours’ jokes – mainly Des Barnes’. The marriage lasted until Derek’s death in 1997. A heartbroken Mavis decided to leave the street and moved to Cartmel in the Lake District to run a B&B. 

Were you a fan of Mavis? Should she return to visit Rita and Emily?

Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Download our free App | Visit Corrie.net

Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog

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

Thelma Barlow pays tribute to Peter Baldwin in open letter

Thelma Barlow, who played Mavis Wilton in Coronation Street, has paid tribute to her late co-star Peter Baldwin, who passed away last month.

The letter from Thelma Barlow to the Radio Times reads as follows:

"Derek and Mavis were figures of fun a lot of the time – people don’t always recognise that those who are quiet and unassuming can have more to offer than people who make a lot of noise about life. Once they got together, it was those two against the world – they took strength from and supported one another. It was a really good relationship. They were kind and considerate, but they learnt how to defend themselves and each other when others weren’t very kind.

"It was a total shock when they decided to kill off Derek – I had been intending to leave for a couple of years, as I wanted to do more theatre, so they could easily have killed off Mavis instead.

"It was a cruel blow to Peter, and to me and to the Street really, as Derek was such a popular character. Now, with Peter’s death, a chunk has been taken out of my life – I loved him dearly. I shall miss him such a lot.”


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

Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog

Download our free App | Visit Corrie.net


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

Archive video: Peter Baldwin and Thelma Barlow reunited in 2012

When I heard the sad news of Peter Baldwin's death, I immediately went on YouTube to find some videos of him. I was hoping that his and Thelma Barlow's interview on This Morning back in 2012 was still on there, and so it was.

It's a wonderful interview, which includes a lovely montage of Derek and Mavis' time on the street. Peter and Thelma reminisce about their 20-odd years on the street and Derek's demise is also touched upon. 

It's a great interview. Some of you may have seen it, but others may have not. But here it is anyway.

It is my tribute to Peter Baldwin, one half of one of Corrie's great partnerships.

by Llifon

Download our free App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook | Visit Corrie.net



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

Farewell Peter

The sad news that actor Peter Baldwin, the man who created Corrie's Derek Wilton, had passed away aged 82 has made me reminisce back over the years. Derek and Mavis were such an integral part of Coronation Street for over twenty years and I don't think Peter Baldwin ever really received the credit he deserved. Derek was frequently ridiculed, often redundant and sometimes ridiculous but we had great affection for him all the same.

Derek was quite often a pain in the backside. He was weak-willed, dominated by his ex-wife (the rarely glimpsed Angela) and manipulated by the mean spirited Norris Cole (who always called him Dirk). He was an old fusspot who gave Mavis the run around for years before finally settling down to daily Grape Nuts and middle-management angst at Number 4 Coronation Street. Derek could be difficult, snobbish and frustrating but in Mavis he met his soulmate. Not even the foppish, pottery making Victor Pendlebury could keep them apart! 

Derek enjoyed (or endured) a rather spiky relationship with Rita, friend and employer to Mavis at the Kabin for over twenty years. Rita enjoyed sending Derek up but you always felt she thought Mavis deserved something better. Sometimes Rita could be downright cruel to Derek but then again, often his pompousness asked for it. Whatever the situation, we all knew Derek loved Mavis and cared for her deeply. Their marriage wasn't always plain sailing but it was frequently touching and always played for real. 

I guess what I'm saying is that Peter Baldwin created a wonderfully multi-layered character in Derek. Probably because he was middle-aged and fairly ordinary, neither the character nor the actor ever really got the attention either warranted. Derek was the figure of fun with his gnomes and his green paper-clip car. Yet characters like Mavis and Derek are thin on the ground these days. They were given time to mature together on screen and over time, the audience came to love them and care about them. 

I think it was a mistake to kill off Derek and axe Peter Baldwin in 1997. Times were a-changing alright but it still seems like a waste all these years on. It did give Thelma Barlow some excellent material as a grief-stricken Mavis. After years of mousey indecision, in death, Derek gave our Mave some much-needed backbone. I always thought that Mavis was a strong Corrie woman underneath it all and one scene, at Derek's wake will always stay with me. She suddenly realised that her house was full of familiar faces, all of whom had ridiculed her Derek over the years and to some extent still were at his funeral. Mavis then gave a defiant defence of Derek and their marriage, stunning even Rita into something akin to pride in her friend. It's a glorious moment which will always cement both Mavis and Thelma in my affections. Mavis eventually left Weatherfield to run a bed and breakfast in the Lake District. I live in hope we will one day see her back in Corrie, however brief the appearance.

Peter Baldwin always came across as a lovely, gentle man when interviewed about his time in Coronation Street. He never seemed bitter about his parting with the show that made him a household name. He forged a delightful double act with Thelma Barlow that served Granada so well for over twenty years and he deserves to be remembered with respect and fondness for his important contribution to our favourite television programme. 

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82


Download our free App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook | Visit Corrie.net



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

Getting it right when a Rover Returns

Ah, the perils of a returning character. It either works or it doesn't. For me at the moment, Coronation Street is all about the return of that legendary ginger minx, Jenny Bradley. 

This is a joy for me as it brings back memories of one of Corrie's best ever sagas from what I still see as a golden era for the show. So far Sally Ann Matthews has been on fine form, performing the difficult task of bringing life to Jenny over twenty years after her last appearance. 

I think it is working a treat. It is stirring up drama for some of the more established, long standing members of the Corrie cast and that can only be a good thing. The return story is plausible and Sally Ann is clearly relishing being back. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Bringing back former characters is a risky business. It's a gamble that can pay off, rewarding long-time viewers with references to the past, although sometimes they can just get it wrong. I think the main principles for bringing an old character back to Corrie are quite simple. Firstly, the character concerned must still be relevant. They must have current, ongoing links and often unfinished business with regular cast members. Secondly, the actor must be returning to play a character that is still recognisable to enough of the regular, loyal Corrie viewers. Finally, the writers must be able to write authentically for the character and understand both them and their motivations.

Sometimes I do sympathise with the powers that be. They can't do right for doing wrong. Either they are bringing in too many new faces which fans think do not gel or are not right for Corrie or they are bringing back too many old hat characters that have long since past their sell by dates.

Some recent returns have been surprisingly good. Jenny aside, I found myself enjoying CIlla's brief visit to Weatherfield last year. I was never much of a fan of Cilla during her original stint, she was always too extreme and too pantomime for my tastes. However the toned down, vulnerable CIlla we saw more recently worked well and felt a lot more believable. One of my favourite returning characters of recent years has to be Wendy flamin' Crozier. Coming from the same period as Jenny Bradley, the Ken-Deirdre-Wendy triangle of the late 1980s was superb. Roberta Kerr just seemed to pick up where she left off and it was great to see her back to upset the Barlow applecart.

Sometimes though, we are left scratching our heads and wondering where it all went wrong. Step forward Julie Goodyear, former queen of the Rovers Return as the iconic Bet Lynch. I loved our Bet - the comedy, the drama, the frocks, she had it all. The ill-advised come back in 2002 left a sour taste in the mouth as both Ms Goodyear and the viewing public quickly realised too much water had flowed down the Irwell since her last appearance in 1995. Some things are best left in the past as glorious, camp memories. 


At least the character of Bet remained true to herself on her much heralded return. The same cannot be said for others. I loved Sunita when she first appeared in 2001. She was sweet, kind and easy to love. Her come back in 2009 proved otherwise. She returned to Dev, they did a crazy, Nazir-like move into the street and the writers morphed her into a vamp, a seductress with the morals of something you'd find up the ginnel late at night. The same can be said of Dev's errant daughter Amber. She was the funny, sharp kid for a while, then left only to return solely to ruin Sawphie's relationship with Sian. It didn't work at all. Of the current cast, we have returnee Todd, another previously mainly decent character who has now inherited the warped mind of the tricyle riding child from The Omen. I think we are finally due an explanation of what the devil has happened to him.


There are always characters I would still love to see make a return to Weatherfield, whether for a special one off appearance or for a longer stint. Everyone has their own wish list of those they'd love to come back, so here is mine:

1. Mavis WIlton. Oh for one final glimpse of our Mave. I want this so badly I was over the moon just to hear her name mentioned recently when Rita went to stay with her. Seeing Barbara Knox and Thelma Barlow reunited for that special documentary at Christmas was an absolute joy. It would be wonderful to see RIta and Emily visit Mavis at her guest house for a special episode. Go on, Corrie, make it happen.

2. Eddie Windass. Why Corrie ever got rid of the fantastic Eddie Windass I'll never know. He was a classic Coronation Street character in the making. He was lazy, work shy and needed a good going over with a damp flannel yet he still managed to turn out beautiful cakes for any occasion. Now that we are seeing the back of Owen, isn't it time Gary went to look for old Eddie, bringing him back to Weatherfield and reuniting him with Anna?

3. Suzie Birchall. One of my all time favourite Corrie women, Suzie epitomised the golden Corrie era of the late 1970s. Indeed, Suzie really brought Corrie into that decade with a bang. I loved the set up of Gail, Suzie and Elsie, it really was cracking stuff. Gail rarely mentions Suzie these days, perhaps not surprising considering she tried to pinch her husband Brian back in 1983. In fact, with hindsight, it might have been better for Gail if she'd succeeded. I understand Cheryl Murray has suffered some ill health in recent years but I think it would be terrific to see Suzie turn up on Gail's doorstep one more time. We've had Gail the overpowering mother from hell and we've had Gail the simpering lovestruck bride to be, so why not have Gail having some fun and turning some heads with her old pal?

4. Janice Battersby. Perhaps a bit of a Marmite choice here, but for me her relationship with Leanne was always much more truthful and believable than anything the writers cooked up with Stella. Janice has all but been wiped from our memories which I think is a shame as Vicky Entwistle brought a lot of verve to the role. She wasn't always nice, but she was fiercely protective of her own. I'd like to see Janice back for a visit.

5. Finally, please powers that be, tempt Suranne Jones back for a stint as the wonderful Karen McDonald. Karen has been the only real match for Steve as far as I'm concerned. I loved their fiery relationship and Suranne is a brilliant actress. There are plenty of reasons for her to make a return with the likes of Steve, Liz and Tracy all still in the show. And I for one would love to see her take on Michelle.

So there we have it, my take on the pros and cons of bringing back classic characters to Corrie. The next cab off the rank will be Gail's darling Sarah Lou. We shall have to wait and see how that one goes. 

Follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82 

Download our App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook



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

Classic Corrie Christmas Moments Countdown - Day 21

Today we're going back to 1988.

Deirdre is held hostage; Vera is delighted to work behind the bar with Jack, to his chagrin; and Emily entertains Percy, the Wiltons and the Gilroys and Phyllis.

Enjoy!

For information and synopsis of the episode (Episode 2894) on Corriepedia, click here.

Download our App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook



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

My Corrie wish list for the Powers That Be

It's time once again for me to blog-rant about what I'd really like to see in Coronation Street that isn't there right now and isn't likely to be seen for some time (if ever)! So here we go...

1. Give Norris Cole a storyline. Malcolm Hebden hasn't had anything significant to do in years apart from hate Dennis and buy Emily's house. Why haven't we seen more stuff about Norris the home owner at number 3? Even Mary doesn't have much to do with him these days. Malcolm Hebden is a great Corrie actor capable of so much more than he's currently being given.

2. Give Audrey Roberts a storyline. It has been far too quiet a year for our Audrey and Sue Nicholls' talents are being seriously wasted. All she does these days is tut at Kylie/David/Gail or act as a shoulder for wimpering crimper Maria to cry on. She deserves something strong and stand-alone for her to get her acting teeth into. I know Sue Nicholls has been at Corrie for many years but I still reckon they are lucky to have her.

3. PLEASE do not let Deirdre regress once Ken arrives back from Canada. Anne Kirkbride has been a delight since Kenneth disappeared off to look after Adam. Deirdre is funny again. Deirdre has a backbone again. All she needs is a storyline again and I'll be happy.

4. Moving on from this, why don't we see Deirdre and Liz together more often? They have been pals since Deirdre had a perm for pete's sake! Much more should be made of this.

5. I need Owen and Gary to build an extension to the Corrie cupboard so the entire Armstrong-Windass clan can cram into it for the foreseeable. It feels like they haven't been off our screens for about 25 years. As much as I like Anna and Gary, I need a breather from the constant angst and that horrible living room.

6. Having said that, in about a year's time I'd love Pat Phelan to return and get what he deserves for what he did to poor Anna. He really does deserve a suitably horrid send off that one. And his gob on a stick of a wife, the delightful Val.

7. I still think Corrie needs another older character. Stephanie Cole is sorely missed as Roy's mum Sylvia. Either cast Lynda Baron as a loveable old rogue or bring back Barbara Young as Doreen Fenwick and let's see Rita have some fun again.

8. Steve needs to ditch Michelle. I'll keep saying this until it actually happens. And when I mean ditch her I mean actually stick her in his cab and drive her somewhere outside the Weatherfield boundary that has loads of ditches, and then stick her in one. End of.

9. I did like Andrea but I don't now. Lloyd deserves better. They should've kept Jenna and lost Andrea instead.

10. Roy needs something to do and by that Corrie Powers That Be, I do not mean a "love interest" or some kind of rancid bedhopping activity. Before Hayley's exit storyline we learned a little more about Roy's family. Why can't we meet one or two of them? There is so much potential in Roy and it's time to explore his background.

11. Can Sophie Webster go to Devon on a permanent basis please? And can Debbie Webster take her place?

12. Before Philip Lowrie leaves (again) - is he leaving? Who knows. Anyway, before Dennis departs can we PLEASE have some decent references to his glorious mam, Elsie. So much potential there to keep us longtime viewers happy and content and most of it has been squandered for the sake of Tina's gob and Peter's endless desire to drop his kecks. Dennis needs to do some serious reminiscing about Elsie, Linda, Ena, Annie et al before he leaves us.

13. Nick Tilsley needs to stop having these excruciating episodes. Enough already. The whole storyline needs to come to an end. And while we're at it can someone give Kal a personality injection?

14. Sean needs to shift it out of Eileen's house. No progression at all for this character in over ten years. Why can't he at least move in with Julie or something once Marcus goes? Oh, and is there any chance Todd can disappear down a crack in the pavement? I loathe him and his sneaky snakey eyes.

15. Maria should stay in Cyprus.

16. KIRK AND BETH SHOULD GET MARRIED. I won't lay down subtle hints like this again.

17. Do something interesting with Mary or ditch her. I'd rather she was kept on to be honest but I've never known a character float about without roots like her for as long as she has. She dips into other lives and stories but foundations are never properly laid. We need more from her than the occasional game of chess or dotty aside to some other character weighed down by a proper storyline.

18. Invest in Eva and Jason. Eva is the only good thing to come out of the Price saga. She isn't just good, she is fanastic. And she is great with Jason. Something funny and touching for this pair please.

19. Please do not reduce Gail to cleaning toilets in the gym as well as the Bistro. Cleaning the Bistro lavs in her tabard was bad enough, but sluicing out the bogs in that laughable gym is something I wouldn't even see fit for Tracy Barlow. Give her a bit of self respect.

20. Now that Stella is a barely mentioned memory, can we please have a wee visit from Leanne's proper-not-really-me-mam - the gloriously gobby, eternally fleece-clad, Janice? The relationship between Leanne and Janice was always more grounded and believable than anything St Ella could muster.

21. Finally - and I know this isn't likely....could we please have Mavis back, if only for a couple of episodes? Thelma Barlow is one of my absolute favourites as dithering Mavis and those Kabin scenes with Rita are an endless source of joy.

Catching up with our Mave would make my year.


Tweet me @GraemeN82


Download our App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook



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

Out of sight, out of mind?

As the Peter and Tina dirty circus continues to grind its way around Weatherfield, I've been contemplating what will actually happen once Tina is dead and gone, culprit caught and put away...probably sharing a cell with Jim McDonald in the Big House.

Will we see any of Tina's family in the aftermath of her demise? Her mother hasn't been glimpsed in years. Surely she will make an appearance in the weeks ahead? It would be bizarre if she didn't. Once Tina herself departs, I wonder how long other characters will remember her? Will she succomb to the usual "out of sight, out of mind"?

Sometimes it can take months, even years for a character to leave our screens. Nowadays it feels like actors announce they are leaving around a year before they actually get in that cab and take a right onto Viaduct Street. Afterwards however...nothing. For example, how often has Stella been referenced since they invented that never-before-mentioned-friend in New York for her to go off and live with?

Hayley will always be mentioned thanks to the continued presence of the much loved Roy. However wouldn't it be comforting for us long term viewers if Audrey spoke of Alma once in a while, or Rita of Mavis?

I'm not necessarily pitching that we need a full blown nostalgia fest, but given the links still in Corrie, it would seem natural for the occasional comment to be made. When was the last time Norris talked about Derek or David about Martin (his dad for goodness sake!)

Thankfully we still have Emily conjuring up moist-eyed memories of her Ernest, but I for one would love Deirdre to reminisce about Blanche more often. It would be a joy for some of Maggie Jones' classic one liners to get another airing. There's definitely not been anyone come along since to replace her in our affections.

Even if we never see some of these classic characters again in Coronation Street, I think it would reward long time viewers just a little if the likes of Mavis, Alf and Betty were name-checked every so often.

What do you think?


Follow me on Twitter: @GraemeN82


Download our App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook



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