Coronation Street UK: England's oldest and longest running soap opera

On December 9th 1960 Coronation Street arrived on British Television sets. Who could have imagined back then it would still have been going strong in 2009. Its distinctive theme tune is widely known in the UK these days, even by people who have never watched this programme.

Coronation Street was a soap opera or, as these were more often called back then, a kitchen sink drama. However kitchen sink dramas tended to be one offs that were either a play or a film and often aimed at making a statement of sorts. Films such as A Taste of Honey and Up the Junction fell loosely into this category with tales of teenage angst and pregnancy, and homelessness.

From the start Coronation Street was different. It was a series and was set in a traditional working class street, much like where many of us lived in England back then. It followed the day to day lives of families who lived and worked in Coronation Street, Weatherfield, Near Manchester.

The location was fictitious but it could have been many palces around the UK. The characters were true to life and in many ways were the first ordinary, working class characters speaking regional accents and not BBC English.

The kids played on the "red wreck" just as we played on the "bombies" or old bomb sites from the war. The characters were just like people living in the street where I was brought up. There was the woman with apparently loose morals, Elsie Tanner, the neighbourhood gossip, Hilda Ogden, the god botherer, Ena Sharples, the unmarried spinster who appeared to be left on the shelf, Miss Nugent, the guy having affairs, Len Fairclough and the posh family, with their son who aspired to be a teacher, The Barlows. Of course there were more but you understand my meaning, don't you? The residents of Coronation Street could have been real people living anywhere back then.

Corrie, as it is fondly referred to nowadays was created by Tony Warren and has always been produced by the commercial network Granada Television. Some of the original cast was till appearing in Corrie in the 1980's. Others would leave for a while and return. Ken Barlow, Bill Roache, and Emily Bishop, Eileen Derbyshire, are the only remaining members of the original cast, I think.

The occasional character was written out dramatically by being murdered, dying and the like. However at one time this was a kiss of death for an actor's career. Many Corrie actors who left feeling the world was their oyster rarely worked again especially on TV. Such was the power of this show that these actors became typecast and were forever Ernie Bishop, for example. Coronation Street has been aired every week since 1960. Next year will be its Golden celebrations. 50 years without a break is some record.

WHEN YOU CAN SEE CORONATION STREET IN ENGLAND

The scheduling has changed over the years and recently Corrie has appeared more often on our television screens. Bad news for some but good news for fans. It is now aired in England on ITV or Granada at:-

7.30 and 8.30 Mondays and Fridays

7.30 Wednesdays

7.30 Sundays, occasionally

These 30 minute shows are rounded up and aired as an Omnibus on Saturdays and Sundays. The timings are changed sometimes, due to football matches, Much to the annoyance of fans. Now and then there are specials and Corrie has been shown in many countries around the world, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.

Corrie has given its audience murder, scandal, death, divorce, affairs, rape, crime, drugs abortion and more. In the early days Coronation Street had a fair mix of scandal's included in some of the plot-lines but usually it was believable. In recent years the bizarre has become the norm rather than the unusual for Corrie.

Also known as The Street, Corrie has certainly moved with the times in some ways. However Corrie is very unrealistic these days. The old streets such as Coronation Street have largely gone in the real world, in England. Many were demolished as part of England's Slum clearance policy years ago. Few such streets exist in quite the same way for real as Corrie does. The locals who live down Coronation Street still gather at the local Pub, work in the same area and seldom move on. Sure, some characters leave but, on the whole, most of it is stuff and nonsense.

However the thing to remember is that it is fiction. Many viewers seem to get so caught up in the programme that they forget this. Actors have been spat on and received hate mail when their character in Corrie has been misbehaving, for example.

Coronation Street has had many rival programmes over the years. Many such as Brookside and Eldorado are long gone. However ones such as Eastenders, on the BBC, are classics in their own right now.

I guess it is testament to the household name that Coronation Street has now acquired that many well known actors and celebrities have wanted to appear in this soap recently. Some have been brief cameo appearances whilst others have been for much longer. These have included actors and celebrities such as:-

Leonard Sachs

Peter Kay

Cliff Richard

Joanna Lumley

Ben Kingsley

Prunella Scales

Davy Jones

Mollie Sugden

Michael Elphick

Kenneth Cope

Michael Ball

Ray Brooks

Richard Beckinsale

Max Wall

Paula Wilcox

And not so long ago Sir Ian McKellen

These days the plots of Corrie have become increasingly bizarre in an attempt to thwart rival soaps and retain its audience. Some of these plots work and some don't. Corrie remains easy watching though for those times when you want simple entertainment without any stress.

It was possible to visit the sets of Coronation Street, Granada Studios, as various companies offered tours, but sadly for fans this is no longer possible.

Still there will only ever be one Corrie and I hear many say, thank God for that. Just as many though will be shouting, and long may Corrie reign. Another 50 years? I doubt it but you never now as, one thing is for sure, Corrie has staying power.

Update 6th December 2009

One of Corrie's most famous faces sadly passed away this week. Rip Maggie Jones