Coronation Street

I didnt include the kids like Josh and Amy - well spotted Steve.

No Jack and Vera didnt arrive together. Vera was in it years before Jack. According to Liz Dawn's autobiography she did 2 episodes in 1974 with Vera working at the Mark Brittan Warehouse on Coronation Street. Liz said at the time she never thought in a million years she would ever be a regular and did lots of other work during this period including episodes of Crown Court. Vera made further appearances in Corrie including a few episodes as Fred Gee's girlfriend (during one of her breakups with Jack) and then became semi regular from 1976 when Baldwins opened.

Jack only did 2 episodes in 1979 at Gail and R Brian's wedding - he wasnt seen again until 1981 when he and Vera split up (again!) and Vera landed herself on Bert and Ivy so Ivy insisted Bert go and fetch Jack to take Vera home. They both became regulars when they moved into Number 9 in 1983.

Blanche was only in it for 2 years (74-76) , but made guest appearances during the late 70s/early 80s, the last of which was at Ken and Deirdre's first wedding (1981). She then returned in the late 90s.

I remember reading in Lynne Perries autobiography that they kept giving her husband different names in the script all the time.

I remember her calling him Jack and saying they had no children - it was the episode where the Warehouse burnt to the ground in 1975 which was on the DVD box set. There was no sign of Vera then which makes me wonder if she had only done those 2 eps in 1974 and then not appeared again until 1976. Its a shame they didnt include her first episode on the DVD set. Lets hope we get a clip on the Vera special on Sunday.

Sean appeared a couple of times in 2004 as friend of Karl's at Weatherfield Hospital. Apparently he was such a big hit (yeah I know hard to believe isn't), that they introduced him as regular character by becoming a lodger chez Eileen a few months later.

I like the idea to modernise the cornershop. For added realism they could have disaffected hooded youths outside the shop at night, hurling beer cans and abuse at passer-bys, before spray-painting the door of Kev's garage

too late, Ryan's done that already

Actually it's "Ryanuuuuuh" don't forget He only sprayed the cornershop didn't he, to annoy Noris? He's only an amateur yob. It's getting so bad round my way, the vandals are having provide their own telephone boxes.

He also sprayed Kevin's garage door and Kevin liked it so he's left it up.

It helps to cover up all the graffiti from visitors to the studio tour who had to gouge out their initials in the black paint



not that I ever did that of course

That is hard to believe. However he put in a half decent performance on Monday at the funeral. Unfortunately tonight Sean was back to his usual annoying self.

The sooner Violet has her baby and leaves with Jamie the better - the 2 of them bore me. I think Violet's character has been completely wasted as they have not given her anything decent to do since she arrived.

However the Michelle/Alex stuff was really good IMO, Kym Ryder put in another excellent performance.

I agree - Kym Ryder was brilliant tonight. I also agree about Violet; so much could have been done with her character, but I feel she's just been sidelined. As for Jamie... well, he's really nothing but eye candy, isn't he?

wasn't violet meant to be some secret love child of Martin Platt?

Never heard that Steve. Although the actress is called Jenny Platt

Apologies, I have clearly been lax in keeping track of Ryanuuuuh's graffiti actions. Possibly because I've taken more interest in his inheriting the Cousin It role from Adam, David and Jamie.

Perhaps Kevin preferred the "urban art" on his door, to those naff badges Sally implented for Tyrone, Kev and the erstwhile Nathan.

Of course unofficial vandalism on the Street, especially by visitors to the set, is to be frowned upon and not condoned. Thank goodness nobody here would be crass enough to commit such an act...

I agree, Kym Ryder was very good in Friday's episodes - and at least things moved on from all the hysterical scenes that have plagued various episodes recently.

However, I still dislike the whole plot as being completely unrealistic and storyline driven. There could have been other ways of bringing in Alex and getting what could (from now on) be an interesting relationship develop between Michelle and Alex...

This is how it should've happened IMO:
Alex could've been a friend of Ryan's who came around regularly. Michelle became intrigued that he looked very much like her dead husband, to the point where she really believed that perhaps Alex could be his.... so she starts to investigate and hassle his mother about whether or not she'd slept with her dead husband (apologies - I can't remember his name!).

All hell breaks loose as she drives a split into Alex's parents' marriage - as his dad was always suspicious of his wife and whether the son was actually his. It turns out she DID have an affair with Michelle's dead husband and Alex was his (cue lots of hysterics and "he's not the saint I thought he was" stuff). Ryan finds having a half-brother hard to deal with and doesn't want to know him any longer (for inexplicable teenage reasons).

Alex could've become intrigued by what his real dad was like and turned up at the Rovers trying to find out more from Michelle. With Alex's parents fighting, he turns to Michelle as a friendly ear and shoulder to cry on - and, with her seeing more in Alex than perhaps she should, they start to kiss...


I think this would've worked better than expecting viewers to swallow a "swapped at birth" plot - I feel they are insulting my intelligence!