To celebrate sixty years of Corrie I’m sharing the scenes and
moments that have made me laugh the most over the years. And boy do we need a
bit of a giggle right now.
Common People
The first clip is a short but sweet classic. Vera worries
she’s common, while Jack chews his way though his “tough as a dead dog’s head”
mince and potatoes. It’s a beauty. Pure Corrie.
(Thanks again Lewis Pringle for uploading this clip).
Mother!
The next comes from 1994 and Ken Morley and Sherrie Hewson
delight as Reg and Maureen. Sit-com-like silliness.
A Wing and a Prayer
And finally, as we still mourn the
loss of beloved chicken Charlotte Bronte-Nazir, and the hands of cruel and
calculating Geoff, here’s a clip of Mavis getting in a flap over the death of ‘Harriet’
back in the early nineties. Simpler times.
Pompous manager of Bettabuys and later Firman’s Freezers, who formed a double act with his assistant manager Curly Watts.
After chasing the likes of Rita Fairclough and Bet Gilroy, he rekindled his relationship with old flame Maureen Naylor. They married in 1994, much to the chagrin of Maureen’s mother Maud Grimes.
One of his most-funniest moments was when he was entertaining Maureen before they got married with his waterbed. Unfortunately, Derek Wilton drilled through the bed, causing a huge flood!
His humour was mainly slapstick and another memorable storyline was that he bought a toupee to make him look younger. The residents loved teasing him. The toupee eventually went on fire!
He bought the Corner Shop in 1994 and installed Maureen and Maud to manage it.
He got a promotion and moved to Lowestoft in 1995. While Maureen made the effort to commute to see him, he had an affair with a wages clerk. Maureen later heard that Reg was going to be a father. They later divorced.
Were you a fan of Reg?
Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a true soap icon. Available here.
If you remember, last year I had a series of posts looking at the top 12 faces of each Corrie decade - the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s. For the next few weeks or so, I’ll be looking at the top 12 faces of each year between 1960 and 2013.
Due to lack of space, Tanya Pooley fails to make the top 12, but also appeared in 91 episodes.
Average age: 45
Note: To date, this is the last time Bet appears in the top 12, after 21 years. Also, this is the last time, to date, that Curly, Maureen and Reg appear.
40. Alan Bradley and Rita Fairclough, 1986-1989 (26 votes)
Alan was introduced in 1986 as the father of Rita’s foster daughter Jenny and soon enough was dating Rita. Rita was attracted to him as he reminded of her deceased hubby Len. Unsure of their relationship, Alan embarked on an affair with Gloria Todd, but reunited with Rita when he considered how much money she had. They courted and when Rita rejected both his marriage proposals, he planned revenge – stealing her money.
For many months, Alan stole from an oblivious Rita. When Rita found out and confronted Alan, he attempted to suffocate her with a cushion, only to be disturbed by Jenny and her boyfriend Martin Platt. Alan fled and when he was caught, he appeared in court, but was released that day and planned further revenge on Rita – stalking her and mentally tormenting her. Horrified, Rita fled to Blackpool and Alan followed her there. When she saw him on the promenade, she ran and he followed her, only to be fatally hit by a tram, ending Rita’s nightmare.
Did you watch Alan’s demise? Did you enjoy Alan and Rita’s relationship before he became a villain? Should they be at 40?
39. Reg Holdsworth and Maureen Naylor/Holdsworth, 1993-1995 (27 votes)
Reg Holdsworth first met Maureen Grimes in Llandudno in 1968 and they fell in love. It would be 24 years before they would meet up again. Maureen was stacking shelves at Bettabuys, where Reg was manager. They reignited their relationship but there was one problem: Maureen’s mum Maud. Maud disliked Reg and the feeling was mutual. Maureen had to play mediator between her mum and her boyfriend. Reg was desperate to consummate the relationship and a memorable scene is when he lured Maureen to his waterbed. Comically, it flooded after Derek Wilton accidentally drilled through it.
They married in 1994 and bought the Corner Shop from Alf Roberts. Maureen managed the shop with Maud behind the counter and the three lived in harmony – Reg a member of the Square Dealers and Maureen a pillar of the community. Only after a year, the marriage turned sour as Reg was posted to a Bettabuys in Lowestoft. While there, due to his unfaithful nature, he found another woman – Yvonne Bannister. Reg left Maureen for Yvonne – who was pregnant with his child.
Were you fans of Reg and Maureen? Should they be at 39?
Karl Munro and Stella Price/Munro (2011-2013) – They moved into the Rovers when Stella became the manager. Karl then gets a job as a cabby. They later buy the pub from Steve. Karl then later developed a gambling addiction and was helped by Sunita Alahan, who he then had an affair with. They are found out and Stella kicks Karl out of the Rovers and he moves in with Sunita, who he really only saw as a bit of fun. He then attempted to woo Stella back – he started a fire at the Rovers and blamed Stella’s boyfriend Jason. But it backfired – Stella was in the pub! A panicked Karl ran into the fire and saved Stella. Fearing Sunita was going to expose him, he finished her off at hospital. Stella saw Karl as her hero and fell back in love with him and planned to marry. They married but after the wedding Karl was found out as a killer and arsonist. He kept Stella hostage in the Rovers but was later arrested and jailed. Stella was left humiliated and heartbroken.
Reg Holdsworth and Maureen Naylor/Holdsworth (1993-1995) – Reg and Maureen reunited after 25 years when Maureen started working at Bettabuys and Reg was the manager. Like in 1968, Maureen’s mother Maud strongly opposed the relationship. Reg was keen to consummate the relationship and a memorable scene occurred when Reg tried to seduce Maureen in a waterbed. They married in 1994 and bought the Corner Shop from Alf. Only after a year, the marriage soured as Reg was posted to a Bettabuys in Lowestoft and they divorced.
Alf Roberts and Audrey Potter/Roberts (1985-1998) – Alf had wooed Audrey for many years and had proposed to her in 1981, but she turned him down. In 1985, when Audrey had broken down after crashing Alf’s car, he comforted her and proposed and she accepted. They were popular due to their clashing personalities: Alf was tight-fisted while Audrey was a gad-about who enjoyed spending Alf’s money on shopping. She indulged in his council lunches, and was saddened when Alf lost his seat to Deirdre. In 1991 he reclaimed the seat and in 1994 he became mayor. Audrey was in her element but when she overused the chauffeur, Alf sacked her as mayoress and she was replaced by Betty. In 1993, Audrey persuaded Alf to sell the Corner Shop but was petrified about spending her whole life with Alf. But she was lost when Alf died in 1998.
Gary Windass and Izzy Armstrong (2010- ) – Gary bumped into Izzy’s wheelchair and they immediately take a shine to each other, but Gary had to go to war. When he returns, they plan a date but Gary is seduced by Kylie but they then start a relationship. When Izzy was robbed in 2011, Gary became overprotective of her and even kept her hostage in their flat. When Owen breaks into the flat, he fights a petrified Izzy and Gary is treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after his experiences in the war. They reunite on Christmas. In 2012, Izzy lost a baby and was then interested in surrogacy. Tina agrees to take on the challenge and does feel smothered by Gary and Izzy. When she gives birth to the baby, Tina at first refuses to give him to them, but then changes her mind. Since then, Gary and Izzy have settled into parenthood.
Who are your favourites in this batch of five? Well, vote for two of them and we'll see where they'll be in the countdown! The poll closes at midnight on Monday, 23rd December.
For me, this was the corner shop’s golden era. Indeed, Alf is still synonymous for his role as the street’s grocer. In 1985, the shop became a self-service establishment and Alf calls it the ‘Mini Market’. The same year he married Audrey Potter. Over the years he employed Deirdre Langton/Barlow, Sally Webster and Ivy Brennan and Audrey helped him out from time to time. In 1993, Alf sold the shop to Brendan Scott but bought it back upon Brendan’s sudden death. He sold it again in 1994 to Reg Holdsworth and took the ham slicer with him as a memento.
Brendan Scott 1993
Brendan renamed the shop ‘Best Buys’ and adapted an historical theme to the shop’s outlook. He kept Deirdre on as an assistant plus Emily Bishop. Nicky Platt became his delivery boy. But like Lionel Petty, he’s not a favourite with the locals unlike Alf. But the strain of managing the shop got to Brendan and he collapses of a fatal heart attack at the shop. His widow sells the shop and Alf buys it back.
Reg Holdsworth (1994-1996), Maureen Holdsworth/Elliott (1996-1997) and Fred Elliott (1997-1999)
Reg ran the shop with wife Maureen and mother-in-law Maud Grimes but soon got a job at supermarket Firman’s Freezers and left Maureen to run the shop with Sally Webster doing the odd evening-shift. Reg left Maureen for Lowestoft with his pregnant mistress and Maureen was given the shop in the divorce settlement. Maureen ran the shop with mum Maud. Sally leaves her post as assistant and Claire Palmer takes it up until early 1997. Maureen marries butcher Fred Elliott but after a week runs off with Bill Webster and Fred takes up the shop. Fred reluctantly took up the shop to Maud’s chagrin. After two years he sells up to Ravi Desai.
Ravi Desai 1999
Ravi owned a string of small shops in Weatherfield. After charming the likes of Alma, Audrey and Rita, Ravi left for India and sold his empire to his nephew Dev. Ravi’s assistants were his daughter Nita and son Vikram.
Dev Alahan 1999-
Dev is the current owner of the Corner Shop. Among his assistants have been Deirdre Rachid, Sunita Pareck/Alahan, Amber Kalirai, Sophie Webster, Leanne Battersby, Molly Dobbs and Jenna Kamara. Since Dev took over the shop, the shop has been destroyed twice: gutted in a fire started by Maya Sharma in 2004; and in 2010 when a tram crashed into it, killing Molly and trapping Sunita.
Personally,
I don’t think there’s never been a character like Minnie Caldwell and there
never will be. An original character, she graced the cobbles for 16 years and
although she didn’t have a great effect on the street, viewers think of Minnie
with affection and endearment. Known for her love of cats, Minnie was part of
the trio in the snug with Ena and Martha. A soft touch, she kept lodgers – the
most famous being Jed Stone in the 1960s who fondly called her ‘Ma’. As well as
cats (Bobby and Sunny Jim), Minnie loved betting on the gee-gees and was good
friends with bookie Dave Smith, although she did go missing when she fell into
debt. She often faced financial troubles and in an aim to solve her problems
she accepted Albert Tatlock’s marriage proposal in 1973 but broke it off when
she got tired of his habits. Her closest friend was Ena and their friendship
dated back to their schooldays but Ena tended to dominate timid Minnie. In
1976, she moved to Whaley Bridge to live with old flame Handel Gartside and was
never seen again.
Should
Minnie be at 44? Did you feel sorry for her when she was bullied by Ena? Leave
a comment!
Ken Morley, who played Coronation Street's Reg Holdsworth and is currently doing the rounds as the narrator in the fab Corrie! stage play, has revealed that there is the possibility of another Coronation Street-themed play being produced for Canada.
Ken says: "The 50 year celebrations are in September in Canada because that’s when they started showing it. So the whole bandwagon will start all over again. At the moment they seem slightly hesitant about what to do. They asked John Stevenson, one of the Coronation Street writers, to write a specific play in which Coronation Street characters could be involved but I think they’ve had a rethink about that. It’s a very big theatre in Toronto so there’s some debate about what they want to do about the dramatisation of it. If it happens I’ll be recreating Reg. The producers over there are working night and day to work out what they want to do."
Let's hope it goes ahead. If you haven't already seen Corrie! the stage show, you must, it's wonderful. Here's our short and sweet review.
News reports today suggest that Reg Holdsworth and Curly Watts are returning to Coronation Street for a 50th special DVD to go on sale this Christmas.
I love both these characters so if this story is true, this is one Corrie fan who'll be very happy. However, I know Reg Holdsworth isn't everyone's cup of tea...
Ken Morley, who played the "love him or loathe him" Reg Holdsworth on Coronation Street is now on neighbours. Not Neighbours, neighbours. He's recorded this short film for the poverty charity Elizabeth Finn Care and talks about how important having good neighbours is. Definitely worth a blog post, methinks.
