Six decades on the cobble stones of Corrie

Yesterday Coronation Street turned 60 years old. ITV's flagship soap opera, Corrie, to its fans, a tale of everyday folk up north, has been on air every week since December 9th, 1960. It has been the longest running television soap-opera since 2010.  Created by Tony Warren (a non de plume for Anthony McVay Simpson, MBE), it started as a twice weekly show and these days they crank out six episodes a week. The 10,000th episode aired in February.

Watch for the cat!

Early scriptwriters included Jack Rosenthal, who would later write Bar Mitzvah Boy and create London's Burning. His widow, Maureen Lipman is currently a Corrie cast member. Another, Paul Abbott went on to create Cracker. Russell T Davies was a storyliner for the show. Over the years, the cast has included Davy Jones, Arthur Lowe, Bernard Cribbins, Tracy Brabin (now MP for Bately and Spen following the murder of Jo Cox),  and Sarah Lancaster. And yes, that guy putting the fire out at the Tanner house was Patrick Stewart.

Coronation Street (8th November 1961). An early script by Adele Rose (who would pen 457 episodes in total) featuring a blistering confrontation between Ena and Elsie. pic.twitter.com/v69Ij3x5Sq

— Archivetvmusings (@archivetvmus71) December 9, 2020

Soap operas in general were frowned upon as undesirable viewing in our household. Grandma on the other hand was a Corrie obsessive. In the wider world you couldn't escape it, people talked about the show on the bus, Ena Sharples and Pat Pheonix are eternal, Jean Alexander was voted the most recognisable woman in the UK, though Julie Goodyear was dubbed the "Queen of the Street", comedians impersonated the cast (and, oh god, do I need to explain Jasper Carrott's thumb's up joke? Please no!!), Queen freaked out the USA when they impersonated the cast in the I Want To Break Free video, it was up in the top ten ratings for years (18 million viewers not unusual), and Corrie exterminated Doctor Who. 

Pecked by chickens and a death fall.

More than just a soap?

Now there was something amusing about Hilda Ogden's pride in her "muriel" which included molded ducks flying across the wall. And her relationship with husband Stan. Jean Alexander (later Auntie Wainwright in Last of the Summer Wine) and Bernard Youens made a fine double act. Not quite enamored with the rest of it. I dis enjoy a spin-off comedy, The Brothers McGreggor.

But some exposure to Corrie was useful. I scored on the subs desk by pointing out something wrong with a feature about a cast member. The re-write was overplayed, but we didn't get sued like The Sun. 

Starting, I was thinking of William Roache, the chap on the right, who has played Ken Barlow since the first episode. At 88, he is the longest serving male television star in a continuous role. Originally he was the "angry young man" of Corrie, fives wives later I'm not quite sure? I think he has been hero and villain over the years.

However, over on the radio in Ambridge, there is somebody who can give him a run for his money. The Archers celebrated their 70th anniversary in February and at 101, June Spencer is still with the show. 

Love this tale from the early days of #TheArchers told by June Spencer 💚💜💛#TheArchers70 pic.twitter.com/ctXeE9mRBK

— The Archers (@BBCTheArchers) December 10, 2020

June Spencer

I love her description of The Archers as a "farming Dick Barton."