To all the girls Ken has loved before..
KEN STATS
way the soap is filmed. He said: “Episode one, December 9, 1960 was a live episode. We’ve done a few of those since – really, really frightening nowadays because we’re not used to it.
“But in the 60s a lot of things were live, even some commercials. So that’s how we did it, we used to go out on Friday and Monday at 7pm and we did the Friday episode live, then recorded the other as live.
“That went on for about three months and then a strike knocked that out of sync.
“The change from then till now is unbelievable, it’s totally different. In those days, we’d have three days’ rehearsal, dress rehearsal and then record the episode straight through.
“Now, we turn up, do a scene. We can do pick-ups, retakes, not too many, but we can do a few. And there’s no rehearsal, absolutely none.” Such was the filming for Friday’s 10,000th episode.
Rita (Barbara Knox) is shocked when a parcel arrives containing the ashes of her estranged husband Dennis Tanner, along with a note requesting she scatter them in Blackpool. She confides in Ken who agrees to go with her.
Deciding a day trip is something everyone would enjoy, Jenny (Sally Ann Matthews) books a coach and invites a group of residents to join them. Amy, Audrey, Carla, Eileen, Emma, Evelyn, Gail, Jenny, Ken, Mary, Nina, Sean, Tracy, Sally, Yasmeen and Rita, clutching Dennis’s urn, set off for Blackpool.
The day out is a comedy of errors with the coach turning out to be a blacked-out party bus driven by grumpy driver Des, played by renowned actor John Henshaw.
By the end of the trip lives, will have changed and one resident realises the time has come to leave the cobbles for pastures new.
Bill reckons Coronation Street will always be on our screens.
He said: “We’re about people. And so long as the stories are character-based it could go on forever.”
He’s had four children: – born 1961 to Susan Cunningham (discovered his existence in 2010) – twins born 1965 to first wife Valerie – born 1995 to girlfriend Denise He also adopted Deirdre’s daughter Tracy Langton in 1986. 1960-1961 Student Susan Cunningham (first girlfriend, mother of son Lawrence)
Librarian Marian Lund
First wife Valerie Tatlock
Exotic dancer Pip Mistral
Reporter Jackie Marsh
Receptionist Yvonne Chappell (proposed, she turned him down)
Shop assistant Norma Ford Graduate Elaine Perkins Rita Littlewood Second wife Janet
Reid
Gaynor Burton Unionist Peggy Barton Graduate Wendy Nightingale (she was married, he was separated) Chiropodist Sally Robinson (dated briefly)
Single mum Deirdre Langton Yoga instructor Sonia Price (one date, before he married Deirdre) Third wife Deirdre
Langton Secretary Sally Waterman (passionate kiss but no affair) Secretary Wendy Crozier (affair) Café owner Alma Sedgewick
Florist Maggie Redman (mother of Mike Baldwin’s son) Hairdresser Denise Osbourne (gave birth to Ken’s son Daniel) Games mistress Gillian James (one date) Ex-wife Deirdre Rachid (brief reunion) Headmistress Sue Jeffers (brief fling after a row with Deirdre)
Fourth wife Deirdre Rachid (remarried in 2005)
Historical society chairwoman Anita Scott (she made a pass, he rejected her)
Actress Martha Fraser (affair)
Hairdresser Nessa Warner
Hairdresser Claudia
Colby
Unemployed Karen Barnes (Ken taught her to read and write)