See Anne Reid on stage in the West End

Anne Reid, who played Ken Barlow's wife Valerie in Coronation Street, is taking to the West End stage in A Woman of No Importance, the first production in a year-long Oscar Wilde season.

A Woman of No Importance will run at the Vaudeville Theatre in London from 6th October to 20th December 2017.

Oscar Wilde’s play is about members of the English upper classes who attend a party at a countryside estate. The guests include a widow, her son, and an American visitor.

Anne Reid will play Lady Hunstanton, who is holding the party at her estate.

Although Anne is probably best known for playing Valeria Barlow in Coronation Street in the 1960s, she also starred in the sitcom Dinnerladies in the late 1990s. She was nominated for a Bafta TV Award for her role as Celia in the BBC series Last Tango in Halifax, and a Bafta Award for her role in the 2003 film The Mother. On stage, Reid has appeared in a number of productions, the most recent being in the Chichester production of Fracked! Herprevious work also includes the National Theatre’s production of Happy Now?, the Donmar Warehouse’s Dimetos, and Hedda Gabler at The Old Vic alongside Sheridan Smith.

The season also includes the previously announced production of Lady Windermere’s Fan, directed by actress Kathy Burke.

A Woman of No Importance Tickets are available now.

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 

---

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 50 Corrie Couples - Nos. 36 and 35

36. Alf Roberts and Renee Bradshaw/Roberts, 1977-1980 (34 votes)

After being married to Phyllis Plant for 26 years, wooing Maggie Clegg and dating Donna Parker, Alf Roberts met Renee Bradshaw in 1976. She was the new owner of the corner shop and a friendship developed between the lonely individuals. A drunken Alf proposed marriage in 1977 but he quickly hesitated when he sobered up. But after some soul searching, he proposed again and Renee accepted. They married in 1978, but the wedding didn’t go smoothly. Renee’s stepfather Joe Hibbert accused Alf of marrying her for her shop to which Alf punched him.

In 1979, Alf was injured in the Rovers lorry crash and suffered mood swings and was rude to shop customers. Alf soon retired from the GPO and helped Renee to run the shop full-time. In 1980, Alf and Renee were offered to run a shop and sub-post office in Grange-over-Sands. At the same time, Renee wished to learn to drive. On driving home after visiting Grange-over-Sands with Alf, Renee stalled while going through traffic lights and a lorry crashed into them. Alf survived. Renee sadly didn’t, thus ending a two year marriage.

Did you think Alf and Renee worked as a couple? Should they be at 36?

35. Ken Barlow and Valerie Tatlock/Barlow, 1961-1971 (36 votes)

At 35 are Ken Barlow and his first wife Valerie Tatlock. They first met in 1961 when Valerie was visiting her uncle Albert. They dated and although Val had doubts that Ken was way above her station, they married in 1962. The newlyweds moved into N°9 and Val converted the front room into a salon while Ken became a teacher. In 1965, Val gave birth to twins Peter and Susan. During their marriage, both Ken and Val had affairs: Val with Dave Robbins in 1963 and Ken with Jackie Marsh in 1966.

In 1968, the Barlows moved into the newly built maisonettes. Soon after they moved in, Val was held hostage by convict Frank Riley but was saved by Ena Sharples. The Barlows nearly split up when Ken didn’t believe Val wasn’t raped. In 1969, Val got a job in Alan Howard’s salon, later owned by Dave Smith. In 1971, Ken accepted a teaching job in Jamaica and while drying her hair for their leaving do, Val was electrocuted, knocked the electric fire that led the house to go ablaze. Ken was in the Rovers at the time and the twins were with Uncle Albert. Ken was left a widower and a single father.

Do you remember Ken and Val as a couple? Do you remember them getting married? Should they be at 35?

Check out who was at 38 and 37.

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

The faces of Corrie in 1970

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.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

In 1970, 96 episodes were broadcast.

1.    Annie Walker (70 episodes)
2.    Elsie Tanner/Howard (68 episodes)
3.    Ray Langton (68 episodes)
4.    Ena Sharples (68 episodes)
5.    Betty Turpin (65 episodes)
6.    Len Fairclough (63 episodes)
7.    Valerie Barlow (61 episodes)
8.    Hilda Ogden (61 episodes)
9.    Maggie Clegg (60 episodes)
10.  Alan Howard (56 episodes)
11.  Ken Barlow (55 episodes)
12.  Stan Ogden (54 episodes)

Average age: 46

Note: This is the last time Ena and Valerie appear in the top 12

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

The faces of Corrie in 1969

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.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

In 1969, 104 episodes were broadcast.

1. Elsie Tanner (88 episodes)
2. Hilda Ogden (85 episodes)
3. Ena Sharples (81 episodes)
4. Jack Walker (81 episodes)
5. Annie Walker (79 episodes)
6. Stan Ogden (76 episodes)
7. Ray Langton (74 episodes)
8. Emily Nugent (73 episodes)
9. Len Fairclough (73 episodes)
10. Valerie Barlow (70 episodes)
11. Ken Barlow (64 episodes)
12. Minnie Caldwell (62 episodes)

Due to lack of space, Maggie Clegg fails to make the top 12, but she also appeared in 62 episodes.

Average age: 48

Note: This is the last time Jack and Minnie appear in the top 12



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

The faces of Corrie in 1968

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.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

In 1968, 103 episodes were broadcast.

1. Annie Walker (87 episodes)
2. Len Fairclough (85 episodes)
3. Jack Walker (84 episodes)
4. Ken Barlow (71 episodes)
5. Valerie Barlow (69 episodes)
6. Elsie Tanner (69 episodes)
7. Minnie Caldwell (64 episodes)
8. Hilda Ogden (64 episodes)
9. Lucille Hewitt (60 episodes)
10. Stan Ogden (60 episodes)
11. Emily Nugent (57 episodes)
12. Maggie Clegg (57 episodes)

Average age: 46

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

The faces of Corrie in 1967

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.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

In 1967, 103 episodes were broadcast.

1. Annie Walker (90 episodes)
2. Jack Walker (87 episodes)
3. Elsie Tanner (85 episodes)
4. Ena Sharples (84 episodes)
5. Len Fairclough (82 episodes)
6. Irma Barlow (70 episodes)
7. Jerry Booth (70 episodes)
8. Stan Ogden (70 episodes)
9. David Barlow (69 episodes)
10. Albert Tatlock (69 episodes)
11. Valerie Barlow (68 episodes)
12. Lucille Hewitt (67 episodes)

Due to lack of space, Dennis Tanner fails to make the top 12, but he also appeared for 67 episodes

Average age: 43

Note: This is the last time Albert, Irma (to date) and David appear in the top 12

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

The faces of Corrie in 1966

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.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

In 1966, 104 episodes were broadcast.

1.    Len Fairclough (84 episodes)
2.    Elsie Tanner (79 episodes)
3.    Jack Walker (78 episodes)
4.    Jerry Booth (77 episodes)
5.    Annie Walker (75 episodes)
6.    Ena Sharples (74 episodes)
7.    Minnie Caldwell (66 episodes)
8.    Hilda Ogden (66 episodes)
9.    David Barlow (65 episodes)
10.    Irma Barlow (65 episodes)
11.    Ken Barlow (65 episodes)
12.    Valerie Barlow (64 episodes)

   

Due to lack of space, Dennis Tanner fails to make the top 12, but he also appeared for 64 episodes
 

Average age: 42

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

The faces of Corrie in 1965

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.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

 In 1965, 104 episodes were broadcast.

1.    Len Fairclough (90 episodes)
2.    Annie Walker (87 episodes)
3.    Jack Walker (86 episodes)
4.    Elsie Tanner (84 episodes)
5.    Stan Ogden (83 episodes)
6.    Irma Ogden/Barlow (81 episodes)
7.    Hilda Ogden (80 episodes)
8.    Minnie Caldwell (70 episodes)
9.    Ken Barlow (68 episodes)
10.    Dennis Tanner (67 episodes)
11.    Albert Tatlock (67 episodes)
12.    Valerie Barlow (65 episodes)

Average age: 43

Note: This is, to date, the last time Dennis appears in the top 12

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

The faces of Corrie in 1964

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 10 weeks or so, I’ll be looking at the top 12 faces of each year between 1960 and 2013.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

 In 1964, 103 episodes were broadcast.

1.    Annie Walker (91 episodes)
2.    Len Fairclough (89 episodes)
3.    Jack Walker (89 episodes)
4.    Elsie Tanner (86 episodes)
5.    Ena Sharples (85 episodes)
6.    Valerie Barlow (75 episodes)
7.    Dennis Tanner (75 episodes)
8.    Ken Barlow (74 episodes)
9.    Minnie Caldwell (74 episodes)
10.    Emily Nugent (68 episodes)
11.    Albert Tatlock (68 episodes)
12.    Lucille Hewitt (59 episodes)

Average age: 43

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

The faces of Corrie in 1963

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 10 weeks or so, I’ll be looking at the top 12 faces of each year between 1960 and 2013.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

 

 

 In 1963, 104 episodes were broadcast.

1.    Valerie Barlow (91 episodes)
2.    Harry Hewitt (91 episodes)
3.    Ena Sharples (90 episodes)
4.    Annie Walker (90 episodes)
5.    Martha Longhurst (89 episodes)
6.    Concepta Hewitt (89 episodes)
7.    Elsie Tanner (89 episodes)
8.    Minnie Caldwell (88 episodes)
9.    Len Fairclough (88 episodes)
10.    Albert Tatlock (87 episodes)
11.    Jack Walker (87 episodes)
12.    Florrie Lindley (85 episodes)

Average age: 50

Note: This is the last time Martha, Harry, Florrie and Concepta (to date) appear in the top 12.

 

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

Favourite Corrie couples countdown - eighth poll

Hello all! Now, I hope you've voted in the sixth poll of ten because that is now officially closed. But you have until midnight next Monday to vote for two of your favourite couples in the seventh poll.

 

So, who's in our eighth poll?

 

Les Battersby/Battersby-Brown and Cilla Brown/Battersby-Brown (2003-2007) – Soon after she met him, Cilla along with son Chesney moved in with Les. After a few break-ups, they decided to marry for the presents. It was a memorable wedding with Status Quo making an appearance. Cilla went on the honeymoon with best friend Yana instead of Les. Les was the only one who was unfaithful during the marriage after he had a one-night stand with ex Janice and then with Yana. Cilla took revenge by pretending she had cancer, and used the fundraising money to go on holiday. But they then reunited. Les left the street in 2007 to tour with Status Quo while Cilla left for South Africa later that year.

 

Nick Tilsley and Leanne Battersby/Tilsley/Barlow/Tilsley (1997-1999, 2010, 2012- ) – They started off as teenage sweethearts who eloped to Gretna Green, much to Gail’s anger.  They settled down, but the marriage soon soured when Leanne fell pregnant and Nick forced her to have an abortion. They later separated and divorced. Eleven years passed before their love reignited. Leanne was now with Peter Barlow but didn’t stop her having an affair with Nick. But when Peter was injured in the train crash, they ended the affair. Peter found out about the affair at their marriage blessing in 2011. But in 2012, with Leanne now single again, Nick declared his love and they planned to marry. Despite stalling at first, they did re-marry in 2013. Since then, they have had their share of tribulations including Nick’s one-night stand with Kylie Platt and then being injured in a car crash and is now trying to rebuild his life.

 

Owen Armstrong and Anna Windass (2011- ) – After Eddie left for Germany, Owen became interested in Anna. He bought No.6 so she had a secure future with adoptive daughter Faye. Despite Faye’s sabotage of their dates, they embark on a relationship. They break up after Owen hits Faye for her cheek, but soon reunite and Anna invites Owen to move in with them. Anna has been glad of Owen’s support during her struggle to accept Faye’s dad Tim moving into the street while Owen is glad of Anna’s mothering of his daughters Izzy and Katy.

 

Brian Tilsley and Gail Potter/Tilsley (1978-1989) – Brian and Gail first met in 1978 and although opposition from Brian’s staunch Catholic mother Ivy, they married the following the year. Nick was born in 1980. Money problems and family arguments plagued the young couple with Gail clashing with Ivy while Brian clashed with Gail’s mother Audrey. By 1986, the marriage had started to crumble with Brian paying more attention to his mum’s love life more than his own which led Gail to have an affair with Brian’s cousin Ian Latimer. Gail fell pregnant and, convinced that Ian was the father, Brian divorced her. Sarah was born in 1987 and Brian was indeed the father.  Gail and Brian remarried the following year and in 1989 Brian was stabbed to death. The same night, Gail had asked for a divorce.

 

Ken Barlow and Valerie Tatlock/Barlow (1961-1971) – They first met when Val was visiting her uncle Albert. They married in 1962 and while Ken became a teacher, Val converted the front room to a hair salon. In 1965, their twins Peter and Susan were born. During their marriage, both Ken and Val had affairs: Val with Dave Robbins in 1963 and Ken with Jackie Marsh in 1966. Soon after moving into the new maisonettes, Val was held hostage by Frank Riley and this tested their marriage. In 1971, Ken was offered a job in Jamaica and they planned to emigrate. But on the night of their leaving do, Val was electrocuted by a faulty hairdryer. Ken was left a widower and single father and over the next few years he would be on a quest to find the next Val.

 

Who's your favourites in this batch of five? Well, vote for two of them and we'll see where they'll be in the countdown!

 

Follow Coronation Street Blog on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog


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

Corrie's Mavis Riley and Valerie Barlow on Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

Thelma Barlow, who played Mavis Riley, and Anne Reid, who was Ken Barlow’s first wife Val on Coronation Street, have beein filming a special episode of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.  The show will be on screen in November and was filmed to raise funds for Children in Need.

What I found amazing about the press release here is that Thelma is now 83 years old. I know!  She says she doesn't watch Coronation Street any more as she's too busy gardening and seeing friends.

Anne Reid keeps going from strength to strength too. She did a five-night cabaret residency in London last week and is looking forward to the start of filming next month for a second series of BBC1’s Last Tango In Halifax.

You can follow us on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog


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

Sunita Alahan - the Valerie Barlow of 2013

Last week I noticed the similarities between Chesney and Katy and Dickie and Audrey Fleming. This week I've noticed the similarities between Sunita Alahan and Valerie Barlow!
 

Despite a 42 year gap, their lives ended or will end very similarly. Valerie of course was electrocuted by a faulty hairdryer in January 1971. When electrocuted she hit the electric fire which fell into a packing case and began a fire which in time made the whole masionette the Barlows were living in go ablaze. Despite the doctors' efforts, Valerie couldn't be saved (the electrocution and fire contributed to this) and she died at the age of 28. The fire exposed structural faults in the masionettes and so the council demolished them. Valerie of course was the mother of twins Peter and Susan and left widowed Ken to bring them up on his own - which he didn't for very long! He sent them to Scotland to be raised by Valerie's parents Alfred and Edith Tatlock.
 

Fast forward to 2013 and we see Sunita, who's in her mid 30s, fall victim to a fire. And yes, she will leave twins Asha and Aadi without a mother and Dev will have to bring them up alone. Unless he'll send them to India to be looked after by Uncle Umed!

And then Asha will come back (with an Indian accent) and marry the latest factory tycoon (who is Dev's arch enemey after he had an affair with Dev's latest wife!) and then tell him she's pregnant and then tell him she aborted the baby but in fact she didn't and her son will appear years later while she'll die in a car crash. While Aadi will return to run the bookies, become a bigamist, alcoholic and adulterer. Something tells me that that's been done before?
 

Will history repeat itself? It usually does!

Am I the only one that's seen the similarities? Maybe I'm reading too much into things!

You can follow us on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog


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

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1971

Day 11 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

1971 promised a fresh start for Ken Barlow and family as he accepted a job as a teacher in Jamaica. Valerie was concerned about leaving Uncle Albert behind but the thought of a better lifestyle away from Weatherfield for her and the twins won her over to the idea. They sold their car, bid farewell to the family and left the twins with Uncle Albert so they could enjoy their last night on the Street partying with their neighbours in the Rovers. Ken waited in the pub while Valerie got ready at home. She tried to mend the plug on her hairdryer with a vegetable peeler but this didn’t work and she ended up jamming the plug into an already overloaded socket. She let out a single gasp as the electricity shot through her and as she fell, she knocked an electric fire into a packing case. The credits rolled as flames licked around a teddy bear.

The fire at the Barlow’s gave the writers the chance to demolish the maisonettes which had never really fitted into the show. They were demolished after serious structural faults were brought to light by the fire and were replaced by a community centre and a mail order warehouse. These locations gave the writers much more scope for storylines and the introduction of new characters. The community centre soon became a hub for local activity with night classes, flower shows and amateur dramatics and new employees at the warehouse included Ivy Tilsley and Mavis Riley.

Also in 1971: Barlow twins move to Scotland; Annie Walker serves watered down gin; Irma Barlow (nee Ogden) leaves; Jerry Booth returns; Ernest Bishop proposes to Emily Nugent; Stan Ogden forms SODU (Stan Ogden District Union).

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1966

Day 6 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

By 1966, Coronation Street wasn’t just being shown in the UK. Australia had been showing the programme since 1963 and by 1966 it was more popular there than back home. Channel 9 sent an invitation for a party from Coronation Street to visit fans in Australia. Granada accepted the invitation and a group was put together consisting of Doris Speed (Annie Walker), Arthur Leslie (Jack Walker) and Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner) from the cast along with producer/writer H.V. Kershaw and Norman Frisby from the press office.

The group visited Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and they were mobbed everywhere they went. They visited several local Coronation Streets, presented awards, appeared on numerous chat shows and even performed a sketch specially written by Kershaw. Driving back to the airport in Adelaide, Doris and Pat wept as 50,000 people turned out to wave them farewell.

For a while Ken Barlow had played the role of devoted husband and father but in 1966 he had his head turned by glamorous reporter Jackie Marsh who he’d met when she interviewed his brother David. He started to meet her behind Valerie’s back but Elsie Tanner saw them kissing and warned him not to throw away his family. He told her to keep her nose out and arranged to go away with Jackie, telling Valerie that he was attending a conference. However, when Valerie packed him a lunch for the journey, he realised he couldn’t betray her and ended the affair.

Ken thought he’d got away with it but two months later Valerie revealed that she’d known all about it and she left him, taking the twins with her to her parents in Scotland. She returned a month later having forgiven him and Ken promised to be more attentive.

Also in 1966: Bet Lynch and Ray Langton join the cast; Sunny Jim returns; Len Fairclough and Annie Walker stand for the council and Len wins on toss of a coin; Ena is fined £2 for shoplifting; Paul Cheveski falls in canal; David and Irma Barlow buy the corner shop.

50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days - 1962

Day 2 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

Until 1962, Minnie Caldwell had lived on Jubilee Terrace with her mother but when she died, Minnie decided to take the tenancy of no. 5 Coronation Street with her cat, Bobby. She always had trouble finding enough money for the rent so she supplemented her pension by taking in lodgers. The first of these was a friend of Dennis Tanner’s, Jed Stone, who she came across sitting on his suitcase in the Street. He’d left his native Liverpool when the police had grown too interested in him and hoped to put his past behind him by moving to Weatherfield.

A wheeler-dealer he was full of get-rich-quick schemes and used Minnie’s front parlour as a warehouse to store the merchandise he acquired, which he would sell on the market. A lovable rogue nicknamed ‘Sunny Jim', he was never without his trademark flat cap, not even in bed. Minnie regarded him as the son she never had and in return he looked out for her and called her ‘Ma’.

His dodgy dealings finally caught up with him in 1966 when he was sentenced to nine months in prison for handling stolen blankets. When he was released he vowed to go straight and opened a double glazing business, moving in to a house on Nightingale Terrace. He kept in touch with Minnie and would send telegrams to the weddings of his friends on the Street but he wasn’t seen again until 2008.

Tony Gordon was planning a multi-million pound development and the only fly in the ointment was an old man and a cat who refused to move out of their house. He may have grown old and be less healthy than he was but Jed Stone wasn’t the sort of man to be bullied by anyone. Tony tried menaces and money but Sunny Jim wasn’t about to budge. Unfortunately he suffered a heart attack during a visit from Tony and while he was in hospital his belongings and cat were thrown out onto the street.

Emily Bishop recognised him in Weatherfield General and when he was discharged she offered him a place to stay. He visited Tony in the factory to demand money for the loss of his home and accused him of the murder of Liam Connor. Tony strangled him with a negligee he had bought for his wife and dumped his limp lifeless body in a clothes hamper. When he returned the following day to dispose of the body Tony found that Jed was still alive but rather than finishing off the job he packed him off to a flat in Wigan and gave him £3000 to keep quiet.

August 4th 1962 saw the first wedding for Ken Barlow. His bride was Valerie Tatlock, niece of his next door neighbour Albert who would Ken would refer to forever more as Uncle Albert. They moved into no. 9 which Ken had bought for £550 and installed the first inside toilet on Coronation Street. Valerie closed her hairdressing salon on Rosamund Street and transferred the business to the front parlour and the cobbles were dug up to install the first telephone on the Street. Ken considered giving up teaching to become a full time writer but when his novel was rejected by a publisher he decided to keep his writing as a hobby.

Also in 1962: Christopher Hewitt is born; Christine Hardman marries Colin Appleby; Colin Appleby dies; Baby Christopher Hewitt kidnapped; Jerry Booth makes his first appearance; Len Fairclough is sacked for carrying on with Elsie Tanner so he sets up his own building business on Victoria Street.