Issue #0022

Yes, it was Liz!

In issue #0021 we published another one of our mystery photo contests. We asked you to tell us whose face belongs in the pink void behind Steve McDonald’s head. Well, nearly everybody got it right – it was Steve’s mom Liz.

Hanky-Panky!

The scene from which the picture was taken happened in Lloyd’s apartment. Liz was visiting Lloyd for some hanky-panky. Steve was visiting Lloyd to consult with his best friend about his relationship with Becky.

There is a double irony in the scene. Steve was unaware that his mother was having a relationship with Lloyd. At the same time, Liz was unaware that Steve was having a relationship with Becky.

Liz was hiding behind the very easy chair in which her son Steve was sitting – listening to every word! Her head bobbed up as though she wanted to intervene in the conversation between Steve and Lloyd. But, just in time, she remembered that she did not want her son to discover her presence.

It was a hilarious situation that ended as Steve was about to leave. He paused near the front door and sniffed. Steve could smell perfume. Telling Lloyd that he would know that perfume anywhere he walked back into the apartment and … up popped his mother.

Thanks for entering

A big thank you goes out to all those entered. This newsletter is more fun when lots of readers contribute something back. All your entries and all your comments were really appreciated. But, there can be only one winner. There is only one way to win – just send a correct entry and hope for the best when we select one of the correct answers by a random draw.

And the winner is …

This time around the lucky winning entry was sent in by Linda Lynch. Congratulations Linda. Contact us to claim your prize of a $20 voucher redeemable at Blighty’s Tuck Store or Blighty’s online store.

Winners of our contests can select a Corrie fan gift or anything else at the store (real British Cadbury chocolate, groceries, T-shirts, soccer souvenirs). We’ll even ship your prize for free anywhere in Canada. And, if you want to spend more than $20 you can simply pay the difference and we’ll still ship your entire order free-of-charge.

And Another Contest

On the basis of the large number of entries we received last time it looks as though this kind of contest is popular with our readers. So we have another “mystery photo” contest in this issue of Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter. You will find the latest contest at the end of this newsletter. Go ahead and give it your best shot.

Corrie’s 50th

For Coronation Street fans it is probably the most exciting event to have taken place for a quarter of a century. On 9th December 2010 Coronation Street will be officially fifty years old! Fans I have spoken with tell me they are really looking forward to the big birthday.

A pilot episode was broadcast in the United Kingdom on 9th December 1960. Was the pilot successful? Probably beyond the producers’ wildest dreams! All this year Granada TV, the cast, producers and fans will be building up to the big birthday on 9th December.

Old cast members will be returning, special visitors will be gracing the cobbles with their presence and I am sure the writers will not be letting the occasion pass by without some special storylines. It’s going to be a big year for sure.

Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter will be counting down the months, weeks and days until the big birthday. Mark it on your calendar now. The 9th day of December this year will be on a Thursday. That’s just over 10 months from now. And, just think about this, as Canadians we will be able to celebrate it all again a few months later when our storyline catches up!

Grumpy Old Man

Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter is joining in the 50th anniversary action. In every issue from now until the big day we will carry a cameo of Corrie characters who have appeared on the show during the last 50 years.

In this issue: Albert Tatlock – the original grumpy old man.

The Character

Albert Tatlock lived at number 1 Coronation Street. A veteran of the First World War, he was embittered at having to eke out an existence on a lowly state pension. His constant grumbles led to his reputation as a grumpy old man.

Albert had married Bessie Vickery with whom he fathered daughter Beattie. Bessie died leaving Albert to seek the companionship of Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell in the snug bar at the Rovers Return. He grew particularly fond of Minnie Caldwell and even proposed marriage to her. She did not accept.

Albert’s daughter Valerie married a young Ken Barlow but she was electrocuted and killed by a faulty electrical appliance. Valerie and Ken’s two children Susan and Peter were sent to live with family in Scotland. Albert grew very fond of Ken and was very pleased when Ken found happiness with his new wife Deirdre Langton. Ken and Deirdre moved into number 1 with Albert.

Albert fell into bad health and moved out of his home on the Street to live with his daughter Beattie. Ken and Deirdre later bought number 1 Coronation Street from Albert Tatlock.

In 1984 Albert passed away at his daughter’s home without ever returning to Coronation Street.

The Actor

The role of Albert Tatlock was played by actor Jack Howarth. He was born in Rochdale, Lancashire in 1896 and served in the First World War with the Lanacashire Fusiliers. As a child he went to school with another of Rochdale’s most famous citizens; singer Gracie Fields.

After the war Jack went into the theatre business. He owned and ran a small theatre of his own in Colwyn Bay, but due to the shortage of men at the time, he had to play many of the roles himself.

Jack became involved with television from its very earliest days and made over a hundred appearances until joining the cast of Coronation Street for its very first episode on 9th December 1960. He went on to make 1700 appearances on the show until his death in 1984, aged 88. Jack was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) honour by the Queen in 1983 for his services to charity.

Duchess of Cornwall to Walk the Cobbles

Camilla,  Duchess of Cornwall and wife of Prince Charles, is scheduled to visit the set of Coronation Street as part of the 50th anniversary year celebrations. The visit is scheduled for February 4th. The Duchess will walk down the cobbles before being presented to key members of the cast. She will then pop into the Rovers and witness live filming of a scene on one of Granada’s interior sets.

As we reported in this newsletter a few weeks ago, Her Majesty the Queen is also expected to pay a visit to Weatherfield during the big 50th birthday year. However, unlike the Duchess of Cornwall, the Queen is likely to actually take part in an episode of the show!

Will Loose Woman Sherrie Hewson Return?

Do you remember Sherrie Hewson? Sherrie played the role of Maureen Webster from 1993 until 1997. Originally, as Maureen Naylor, an employee of Curly Watts at his supermarket, she moved through a series of romances before running off to Germany with Bill Webster whom she wed to become Maureen Webster.

Bill Webster (father of Kevin Webster) is still, of course, a current character on the show. And Bill and Audrey have recently ended their romantic relationship. Does that leave the door open for Maureen (Sherrie Hewson) to stage a 50th anniversary comeback perhaps?

Sherrie is currently appearing in the TV show “Loose Women” and has expressed an interest in coming back. Working as a Corrie girl at the same time as working on Loose Women doesn’t work though. Sherrie knows she is going to have to make a choice. Would you like to see her come back? Tell us what you think using the “Leave a Reply” box at the end of the newsletter.

Who Wrote Those Lines?

Picture this. You are a successful Coronation Street writer and you have come up with a killer script that is capturing record-breaking ratings. You are at the top of your game. But then one of your characters thinks they can do a better job. How would you react? I would be mad as heck. Corrie writers, it seems, are a lot more accommodating.

So who is the precocious re-writer of lines? Would you believe Katherine Kelly (Becky)? Katherine thinks the script is sometimes a bit too lame. She likes to kick it up a notch. For example, when the script called for her to slap Steve’s face she thought it would be more in keeping with her character to punch him, or even kick him in the gentleman’s department.

And that dramatic leap across the Rovers’ bar to attack Jason? Katherine’s idea!

National Television Awards Storm

It was a controversial decision but our Corrie won the “Most Popular Serial Drama” award at the recent National Television Awards held at London’s O2 Arena January 20th. Craig Gazey, who plays Corrie’s Graeme Proctor, won the Most Popular Newcomer category.

But in the hotly contested world of soaps, the decision to hand the award to Coronation Street was challenged. The National Television Awards are decided by audience votes during the two weeks prior to, as well as during the awards ceremony. While voting was in progress, a video featuring Corrie veteran actor Bill Roache was broadcast. The purpose of the video was to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the show this year.

Other British TV channels with competing soap operas, who were also vying for awards, were not given the same opportunity. One of those competing shows, the BBC’s EastEnders, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Strong official complaints were filed but an independent adjudicator examined the voting patterns and decided that voting was not unduly influenced by the 50th anniversary video. Corrie was subsequently determined to be a valid winner of the award.

What was all the fuss about? We the fans know which show is best!

National Television Awards presenter Dermot O’Leary expressed his wish that an award should go to the late Maggie Jones (Blanche Hunt). Unfortunately that didn’t happen.

49,000 Bricks

Craig Gazey, Corrie’s Graeme Proctor, was in the news twice this week. In an interview with a Manchester radio station he let slip that the present Corrie set is a bit of a shambles. Filming is due to switch to HD soon and the high definition video images will show up all the cracks, patches and fake structures.

There was a plan to move the whole set and entirely rebuild the Street in a new location at Salford Quays. We reported this potential move in a previous issue of Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter. Craig revealed to the radio audience that the move has been quashed by the presence of a large number of gulls at the new location.

Is it the noise of the gulls that concerns them, or are the cast concerned about filming in the street while gulls drop little white deposits on their heads?

Whether Granada decides to dig up the famous cobbles and move, or stay at its present central Manchester location, it looks like some rebuilding is going to be necessary. One way or another there is going to have to be a new Street.

The present set was built in 1982 using 49,000 bricks reclaimed from the Salford area near Manchester.

Blanche Hunt’s Funeral

In a storyline that hasn’t been seen in Canada yet, Blanche takes a vacation in Portugal. In real life, actress Maggie Jones lost her fight for life following surgery for an unknown condition last month. Maggie Jones’ funeral was held in London and a memorial service will be conducted for her at Salford Cathedral on February 25th.

Her character’s funeral will feature in an upcoming UK episode of Coronation Street. This is one one spoiler that we can’t avoid. Fans around the world were saddened by the Maggie’s recent passing.

Comment by Katherine Kelly (Becky): “Maggie Jones – what a wonderful lady. Pure class in every way. R.I.P”

Mystery Photo Contest

In the last newsletter we deleted Liz from the picture. Well here she is again in plain view this time. But who is that mystery character that she is with? Send your entry using the “Leave a Reply” comment box at the bottom of this newsletter. The contest closes on 5th February 2010 and the prize will be a $25 voucher to spend at Blighty’s Tuck Store or Blighty’s online store – plus free shipping.

Bonus Question

If you get the correct answer AND you can answer this bonus question we’ll throw in a Coronation Street tote bag with your prize:

Which Grimshaw lived at 11 Coronation Street in early episodes in the 1960s?