OUT WITH THE OLD & IN WITH THE NEW
When producer Brian Park took the helm at Coronation Street in 1997, the soap was preparing to enter a new era. And it was certainly time for a refresh. BBC rival EastEnders had been winning the ratings war and Corrie’s older audience – 40% of its viewers were over 55 – was a turn-off for advertisers.
The show lost important cast members in barmaids Bet Gilroy, who fled Weatherfield in 1995 when she was unable to pay her debts, and Racquel Watts, who headed to France to be with her beau in 1996. Eccentric supermarket boss Reg Holdsworth, who headed down south with his new woman in 1995, had also been much-loved by viewers.
“I was brought in to bring the show into the next millennium and to secure our status as number one,” said Park, who assured viewers the soap would maintain its balance of gripping storylines and lighthearted moments as it was brought up to date.
“Emily Bishop will not be shooting up smack, but the Street has been in stasis for too long,” he said.
The first cast member to meet their maker was Derek Wilton, who died of a cardiac arrest during a road rage incident in 1997, leaving the cobbles after 21 years, with his wife Mavis bereft.
“Derek was probably past his sell-by date,” said the producer. “I had to see the poor actor, Peter Baldwin, at 9am on the day I started.”
Mavis, Don Brennan and Andy McDonald also exited the show before Park promised there would be
no more characters axed for a while. But not everyone loved the programme’s new direction. Actor Bill Waddington, who played Percy Sugden, resigned and said the soap had a lack of morals.
As well as departures, the refresh at the top meant plenty of new arrivals.
The rough and ready Battersbys arrived in 1997, followed by Hayley Patterson, who made history in 1998 by becoming the first transgender character in a soap. Scarlet woman Natalie Horrocks, who tempted mechanic Kevin Webster into betraying his marriage vows, caused a stir. And his unhappy wife Sally had her own affair with Les Battersby’s wayward son Grey Kelly, in 1999, leading to their divorce.
The McDonald family, on the street since 1989, were firm favourites. But in 1996 volatile Jim attacked downtrodden Liz after discovering she had an affair with his best pal Johnny Johnson.
The couple later divorced and there was even more scandal when Jim had a one night stand with his son Steve’s ex Fiona Middleton.
By the end of the decade, Jim had been left paralysed by an accident on a building site after Steve accidentally pushed him off some scaffolding.
Unlucky in love Gail Platt had married her toyboy Martin in 1991, with the couple moving into No.8. But Martin had two affairs with nurse colleagues that meant they split and poor Gail had no idea what was in store next.