Betty Driver - Street icon

CORONATION Street icon Betty Driver passed away in hospital after an prolonged illness last Saturday.  She was 91 years old.  The ITV soap dedicated its episodes on Monday evening to the actress, who graced our TV screens for 42 years, appearing in over 2,000 episodes.

Betty Driver - 20 May 1920 - 15 October 2011

     Driver played Betty Williams in the show, with her main role being a long-serving barmaid in the Rovers Return.  She will always be remembered for Betty’s Hotpot; quite possibly the most famous dish in soap opera history.  She was awarded an MBE for her services to the show in 2000.  Betty had been admitted to hospital in May after suffering from pneumonia.  She had hoped to return to work after her 91^st birthday in the summer, but sadly, it wouldn’t happen.  Current Corrie producer Phil Collinson told ITV’s This Morning programme on Monday ‘that he would give Betty a proper and well-deserved send-off on the show.’

     Here is a selection of tributes from Coronation Street cast and crew members, both past and present;

Kieran Roberts (Executive producer); “Betty was a wonderful actress and remarkable woman.  It is humbling to think that the 42 years she spent on Coronation Street was just half of her extraordinary career, but Coronation Street certainly benefited when she decided to join our show in 1969.  Betty was always a delight to work with and whilst there is a great sadness at her passing away, Betty will be remembered by everyone on Coronation Street with tremendous admiration and affection.”  

Katherine Kelly (plays Becky McDonald); “Our Betty – the true and constant Queen of the Rovers.  The most famous street in the kingdom will never be the same now you are gone, but those sparkling eyes and cheeky laugh will live with me forever.”

Julie Goodyear (played Bet Lynch); “It was an honour and a privilege to work with Betty Driver for 25 years.  We laughed together; we cried together and never once had a crossword.  She was a totally professional actress.  A true icon and legend and a very dear friend, she will be missed and remembered by millions.”

William Roache (plays Ken Barlow); “I loved Betty dearly, she was not only a colleague, she was a friend and godmother to my son James.  She will be missed in the Street, but she will be missed more so as a warm and loving person.”

The Street will never be the same without Betty Driver and her hotpot, one of the original ladies of Weatherfield will always be remembered and never forgotten by any fan of Coronation Street.

RIP Betty Driver (20 May 1920 – 15 October 2011)

Coronation Street - A brilliant live episode

CURRENT: The cast have had their lives change this week

CORONATION Street is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this week, and it is doing so in spectacular fashion, with a horrific tram crash – that has turned the lives of the residents of Weatherfield on its head.  The catalyst of the birthday was the live episode, transmitted at 8pm last night on ITV1.  Fifteen million viewers tuned in and despite crazy threats of a possible terrorist attack, the show went through without any obvious hitches and mistakes made, so many congratulations to the cast and crew of the show.  It was certainly an emotional rollercoaster to watch.

MARRY ME: Leanne weds Peter, but he will pull through?

The hour began with the conformation of Ashley Peacock’s tragic demise.  Ashley (Steven Arnold) had died a hero, bravely getting a critically injured Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) out of the rubble in The Joinery, before the roof caved in.  Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) got out of the rubble barely without a scratch, but his concern seemed to be more over the whereabouts of his love interest, Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson).  Eventually, Nick managed to track down Leanne at the hospital, where Leanne told him of her intention to marry Peter in the hospital.  Nick reluctantly agreed to let Leanne go.  Peter came around from his state and despite Leanne’s initial reluctance at his idea, agreed to go along with the rushed ceremony, especially as she had been warned that Peter needed emergency surgery to treat his injuries.  Infront of Ken Barlow (William Roache), Janice Battersby (Vicky Entwhistle) and an emotional Carla Connor (Alison King), Peter and Leanne exchanged their vows.  It was clear that Peter was struggling through the ceremony, but the quick actions of the vicar – by speeding through his final speech allowed the pair to tie the knot.  Seconds later, Peter flat lined and needed critical help from the nurses, much to Leanne’s agony.  Is he going to make it?

Whilst Peter’s fate remains unclear, Mollie Dobbs (Vicky Binns) became the second casualty of the disaster.  Baby Jack had already been freed from the remains of The Corner Shop, but Mollie was in grave danger.  Having criticised the paramedics’ lack of response, Sally Webster (Sally Dynevor) braved herself to enter the scene, and try to keep Mollie’s spirits up.  Meanwhile, at the hospital, Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) urged Mollie’s estranged partner, Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) to head back to the cobbles to be with Mollie, as her condition didn’t seem to be improving.  Jack needed a blood transfusion and Kevin agreed to it; after all, unbeknown to Tyrone, he is the child’s dad.  As Mollie began to slip away, she revealed the devastating truth to Sally about her sordid affair with Kevin and that he was Jack’s father.  A stunned Sally let Mollie’s hand go, as she passed away from her internal injuries.  Can Tyrone pick up the pieces of his shattered life, and how will Sally deal with this latest shattering revelation for her marriage?

Fiz Stape (Jenny McAlpine) had gone into labour, three months premature.  The amount of screaming she was making would be enough to bring a church down.  With deceitful John (Graeme Hawley) by her side, Fiz gave birth to a baby girl, but she was rushed into intensive care straightaway.  While the fate of Fiz’s new baby remains unclear, clueless John rushed back to the cobbles, hoping to cover the tracks that motionless Charlotte Hoyle (Becky Hindley) was still in their house.  Somehow, he managed to drag Charlotte down an alleyway, but was horrified to learn that paramedics found she had a weak pulse.  Is John about to be exposed for the conman he really is?

Elsewhere, and Becky McDonald (Katherine Kelly) was also covering up her tracks, stealing money from the open safe of the corner shop.  She won’t get away with these actions, if the CCTV cameras survived the crash.  No-one seems to know the whereabouts of Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox), who is still buried in The Kabin underneath a pile of chocolates!  Having rescued Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) from the inferno in the Peacock house, Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas) received a standing ovation in the Rovers for his brave actions, though clearly he wasn’t in the mood for celebrating and a heartbroken Claire (Julia Haworth) struggled to cope with Ashley’s passing.  She played Ashley’s final voicemail message before his death to stunned locals at the Rovers, something that would have made anyone get the tissues out.

CARNAGE: Life will never be the same again!

Coronation Street has been a gripping and intense watch all week.  The live episode was so good, that some would forget it was actually live.  No slip-ups made, this was the perfect television production, for a week of unforgettable drama.  I hope they get the recognition it deserves in the round of TV awards next spring.

Here’s to the next 50 years!