Hilda tops the lot: Coronation Street’s most-watched episodes.
As the 60th anniversary celebrations for Coronation Street continue, we’ve trawled through the archives to come up with a few facts and figures about the world’s longest-running TV soap.
➤ The most-watched episode of Coronation Street in Britain was Hilda Ogden’s farewell (above) on Christmas Day in 1987. This emotional episode was seen by 26.65 million viewers. In second place is the Deirdre/Mike/Ken love triangle (with 20 million viewers) and serial killer Richard Hillman’s confession is third (19.4 million). In fourth spot is Rita fleeing from the violent Alan Bradley in Blackpool (19 million), and rounding out the top five is Deirdre being wrongfully convicted and sent to prison (18.9 million).
➤ When Coronation Street started on December 9, 1960 it was filmed live. But since March 1961, it has been pre-recorded. The soap went back to its roots in 2000, 2010 and 2015 when special live episodes were broadcast to mark Coro’s 40th, 50th and 55th anniversaries.
➤ The first words spoken on the soap were: “Now the next thing you’ve got to do is get a sign writer in,” which were said by Elsie Lappin as she handed the corner shop over to Florrie Lindley.
➤ Coronation Street originally had the working title Florizel Street but this was rejected by TV producers as they thought it sounded too much like a brand of disinfectant.
➤ Ken Barlow is listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest-serving male TV star in a continuous role. He appeared in Coro’s first episode and is still a cast regular. William Roache, the actor who plays him, turns 89 on April 25 next year.
➤ The beer served in the Rovers is weak shandy – mainly lemonade. Gin and tonic is made with fizzy water, with lime juice added in a bid to give it just the right consistency.
➤ In 2010, when the production started to shoot in high definition, the fake food served in Roy’s Rolls had to be replaced by real fare.
➤ So far, Coro Street has had 57 births, 146 deaths and 131 weddings.
➤ The old shopping bag used by Roy Cropper belonged to actor David Neilson’s mother who died shortly before he started playing Roy. “You see guys standing at bus stops with bags like that and I thought I’d introduce it,” says Neilson. “It’s also very handy to carry my scripts around in.”