Coronation Street Blog: may 1999

Showing posts with label may 1999. Show all posts

Monday, 18 October 2021

The Week In Classic Corrie

MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 17th and 19th May 1999

The police visited Mike to find out why Greg was after his money. He span a tale about him wanting redundancy, but he didn't realise the cat was already out of the bag. Sally told Kevin why Greg was there, and Kevin told Alison, and Alison told Linda, and Linda told Alma because she's horrible. A hurt Alma went to Mike and he confessed everything about his dalliance with Julia. He tried to defend himself, saying he was the victim because of the blackmail, but she couldn't bear to be near him. She moved in with Audrey and told Mike he disgusted her. Eunice had to go to Spain to see her sister, whose husband had died, and she asked Jack and Vera to buy her out of the B&B. They confessed they didn't have the money and with their age and Jack's illness, there was no way they'd be able to get a mortgage. It left them worried they'd soon be homeless. Nita took Curly out to lunch and asked him about vacancies at Freshco. She felt frustrated in the Corner Shop and wanted better opportunities. Yes, she's been in the show for four months and she's already looking into a change of career; the producers must've realised that the Desai family weren't really working.

TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 21st and 23rd May 1999

Maxine told Ashley that Fred had a secret son. It left him confused, and when he confronted Fred, he denied it. He went to Audrey and told her how hurt he was that she'd revealed his secret. Deirdre went to see Alma in the cafe to try and demonstrate she wasn't taking sides, and in the process, managed to admit that she'd known about his dalliance with Julia Stone. Alma stormed out and told Mike she found his close relationship with Deirdre upsetting. Meanwhile Mike discovered that the envelope of photos Greg had held over him was nothing more than torn up newspaper. After a morning of enduring her weird Dad in the Corner Shop, Nita went to Curly with her CV to be a management trainee. She told Ravi she was thinking of leaving. Jack and Vera got Eunice to let them manage the B&B in her absence, even though they had no experience. Jack meanwhile concealed that he was still getting chest pains.

WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 24th and 26th May 1999

It was holiday time for the Street's residents, as the Platts and the Websters went off to North Wales for a caravan holiday. Janice was jealous of their trip so Les got a manky old mobile home from his mate and took her and a mortified Toyah away. However, the van broke down - right outside the same holiday park Gail and Sally were in. What are the chances, eh? Martin was naturally disgusted that he had to share his leisure time with his nemesis, though Toyah was pleased to learn Owen the owner's son was a bit fit. Mike hired a private detective to trace Julia Stone to get her to be a witness. Deirdre also explained to the police about the blackmail, angering Ken, who didn't want her getting involved. Ashley decided he didn't want to work with Fred any more because he was being taken advantage of. He told Fred to get his son to help instead - and Fred confessed that he was Ashley's dad. Fred explained that Ashley's real mother had run off and left him so he'd given the baby to his sister and brother-in-law to take care of. Ashley was left reeling, thinking his whole life was a lie, but Maud consoled him and told him not to be too hard on his dad. She told him that one day he might have children of his own, and it would be hard to be a father - little realising that Ashley would find himself bringing up another man's child in a few years time.

THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 28th and 30th May 1999

At the holiday park, Toyah mooned after Owen, but he seemed uninterested in her. In reality he was attracted to someone else - Janice. He landed a kiss on her, leaving her confused, but Les was too busy setting up a disco to notice. Ashley's "mum" Beryl laid into Fred for ruining their lives. She tried to tell Ashley it made no difference to her, but he turned on her, saying she was just his aunt and he didn't want to see her or Fred ever again. It was too much for Fred, and he broke down, wanting Ashley to know how proud he was of his boy. Ashley finally forgave him. Elsewhere, Alma decided she could survive without Mike, Natalie became concerned about Jack's health, and Sally decided to swear off men. Ha!

FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 31st May and 2nd June 1999

Nita got the job at Freshco and announced she was leaving. Vik was horrified as he realised he was now going to be stuck in the shop full-time, though Ravi was pleased. The private detective couldn't find any trace of Julia and the police said without her there was no evidence of the blackmail. Frustrated, Mike went to Alma and told her she had to decide whether she was leaving or staying. Audrey encouraged her to leave him dangling. Janice was confused about Owen's kiss and told him to stay away. However, it coincided with Les being especially neanderthal, and so she found herself wandering off to see him. Les was too busy with his DJing to notice. He plugged his microphone into the wrong socket and received a massive electric shock. Martin saw what was happening and saved him, much to his and the viewers' disgust. Janice was left feeling guilty and told Owen it was a mistake and they should forget anything happened. And at the Rovers, Betty was surprised with a party to celebrate her thirty years of service. Not counting all those times she walked out in a huff.

Think of the universe where that electric shock killed Les Battersby. What a wonderful place that would be. Discuss this utopia with the author over on Twitter @merseytart.

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

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Monday, 11 October 2021

The Week In Classic Corrie

MONDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 30th April and 2nd May 1999

Mike was wandering around the factory being ratty, pressured by the one-two punch of a wife with cancer and a lover with a blackmail threat. Fortunately the first part was sorted, as Alma's tests came back clear, and they were immensely relieved. Mike also paid Julia Stone the £10,000 she demanded, taking the negatives off her and burning them. Remember the days when getting rid of the negatives meant that your dodgy photos were gone forever? Ah, happy times. Nita was the target of both Spider and Steve's affections as they went out clubbing for her birthday. The clubbing scenes were filmed with bouncing handheld cameras and banging music because I think someone at Granada had been watching This Life. Spider was outclassed by Steve laying on the charm and he realised that though he was mad for her, Nita would never see him as anything more than a friend. When the Street's youngsters returned from their night out they discovered Sally's van was on fire with all her stock inside. She got Kevin's help with the the insurance claim but it didn't cover the entire loss. She wondered to Sharon who'd be so malicious to set fire to her van and try to ruin her life.

TUESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 3rd and 5th May 1999

Vera went out for the day with Tricia Armstrong leaving Jack and Eunice alone together in the B&B (which is now a set rather than a location by the way, as it becomes a more permanent part of the show). She immediately hurled herself at Jack and he ended up in agonising pain. He was rushed to hospital and it turned out to be angina. Jack worried about his future. Ravi insisted that Vik spend more time working in the shop, meaning he had to stand up Leanne. She went off with Tom the hairdresser instead, but soon let Vik back in the following night, enjoying keeping both blokes dangling. However, when she got drunk with Vik at a party, he tried to take advantage, and Ashley had to chuck him out. Tyrone reappeared and Kevin took him on as an apprentice. Yay! Sally enlisted the help of a fellow stallholder, Danny, to find new stock for the market. He ferried her around and the two of them went out for a pint afterwards. But she received a blast from the past in the post - a postcard from Greg Kelly, asking how her business was going. She realised he was the one who'd set fire to the van. It turned out he wasn't just trying to ruin Sally, as he consulted with his literal partner in crime - Julia. They contacted Mike and said they had copies of the negatives and would need another ten grand. He was forced to admit to Deirdre that he was being blackmailed.

WEDNESDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 7th and 9th May 1999

Leanne's hangover stopped her from turning into work. Rita prevented Sharon from sacking her but gave her a stern "now listen lady" speech. Leanne tried harder, but the till jammed and she shoved Ken's paper money in the paper book - then promptly forgot about it. This will be important later. Fred confessed to Natalie that it was spring and his sap was rising - boke - and now his divorce was in motion, he wanted to get closer to Audrey. They went out to lunch but she confessed she only wanted to be his friend. Mike told Julia he wouldn't pay up so, to add on the pressure, Greg sent her to his flat. He lost his temper when he saw Julia there and sent her packing. She went back to Greg and said she didn't think Mike would pay up. He refused to give in and, when she called him obsessed, he threatened her. She fled without any share of the ten thousand pounds. And Jack was living in fear of Eunice coming on to him again and causing more chest pains so he suggested to Vera that they should move out.

THURSDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 10th and 12th May 1999

Ken got a reminder for his paper bill and complained to Sharon that he'd actually paid it. She accused Leanne of robbing the money, causing her to storm out of the shop. Rita then discovered the £20 in the paper book, but by that time, Leanne had taken on the barmaid vacancy at the Rovers so she told Sharon to stuff her job. In the meantime she asked Gail to keep quiet about her being under 18 and therefore technically unable to work in a pub. Julia went to Mike and told him that Greg was behind the blackmail. She told him where he lived and Greg panicked when he saw Mike outside. He called him and threatened to tell Alma about his indiscretion unless he got more money, and Mike sadly admitted he'd probably have to pay it. Fred continued to try to woo Audrey and cooked her a meal. He confessed to a dark secret: he had a son.

FRIDAY - Episodes originally broadcast 14th and 16th May 1999

Jack insisted on going back to work in the Rovers because he was afraid of losing his job. Natalie didn't realise that he was in agonising pain because Vera was helping him cover it up by carrying up crates from the cellar on his behalf. Audrey tried to find out more from Fred about his son but he wouldn't say anything. Instead she interrogated Ashley about his family, much to his curiosity. Greg arranged to meet Mike at Underworld so that he could get his blood money. Mike agreed while he organised a (rather handsome) thug, but Greg was ahead of him, and instead of going to the factory he got Sophie to let him into number 13. He held the girls hostage and told Sally to go across the way to get his money. Kevin saw her though, forcing her to return to the house, and when Rosie called out that Greg was in there with them, Kevin tried to break the door down. It quickly became a hostage situation, with Greg holding the girls, and the police surrounding the house. He got increasingly desperate, hurting Sally and ripping the phone from the wall. His panicking made the girls scream and the police stormed the house. As he tried to flee Sally cracked him over the head with a chair (although it looked like it had been edited for the delicate sensibilities of the ITV3 daytime audience) and he was carted off, never to be seen again.

Fortunately after this Sally and the girls lived happily ever after and never had any other traumas ever again. At least that's what @merseytart suspects.

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