I don't normally blog about work stuff but I have to tell a little about the Coronation Street 50th birthday jamboree I attended on Friday.
I've never been to such a great do - and I've been to many. Much like the Silver Jubilee street parties of yore, it was a real treat. Almost the entire cast (no Eileen Derbyshire of course) were in attendance for pies, peas, singing, stalls and merriment on the very street itself. It was enormous fun, and for a lifelong fan like me a real sense of occasion. It's part of history, let's face it.
In my 15 years of going up and down to Corrie there are some people I've never met, some I've never so much as clapped eyes on. One of those was the legendary Betty Driver. I've never ever seen her until now. She's always reminded me of my grandma, a bustling woman from Wigan who was just like Betty. Seeing and meeting her on Friday was like grandma was born again. It made me feel quite weird. And she's just like she is on the telly, too.
Another enigma is Barbara Knox, who plays Rita. She may be elderly but she looks great and she was charm itself.
So after a day of drinking and chatting with cast and crew, we came away laden with Corrie goodies, like DVDs, books and flying ducks. It was quite a surreal experience, and one that's unlikely to be repeated in my lifetime.
We see Betty Turpin, but only when she's working
5 comments:
Did any of them do a turn, didn't some of the older set, used entertain in the club circuit outside of their Street-work.
I finished a corking Dad's Army book last week, and never realised Arthur Lowe's casting as Mainwaring had it's roots in his Corrie character (Leonard Swindley)
They did do turns, but I wasn't watching. It was Kym Marsh and the current crowd, rather than Betty Driver singing The Sailor With The Navy Blue Eyes.
Did you see 'the road to coronation st' on BBC4 F-C? A real treat and well cast. They say it's hard to get a tv show commissioned these days!
How lovely. You soppy old date.
Did see and loved it, Suzy. Really well cast and very nostalgic.
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