(This post was originally posted by Llifon on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2013.)Three things that are ratings winners in soaps are weddings, deaths and affairs. Or indeed the revelation of an affair. The secrecy, the danger and the showdown of an affair make us glued to our TV screens and are indeed one of the main themes that make soap operas at the peak of television.
In Coronation Street, affairs have become a storyline norm since the 1980s. But the first Corrie affair, I believe, was back in 1961. Street siren Elsie Tanner unwittingly had an affair with Petty Officer Bill Gregory. She was unaware he was married to Phyllis as he’d told her he was unmarried. Elsie soon ended her liaison with Bill but rekindled their romance in 1984 and married him that year.
During the 1960s and 1970s, affairs did exist but not in the sensationalism form that they exist now. Ken Barlow had a fling with newspaper reporter Jackie Marsh in 1966; and Ray Langton had an affair with café waitress Janice Stubbs in 1978 that in time ended his marriage to Deirdre.
It was in 1982 that an affair became sensational.
At this time the press began their close association with soaps. The affair of course was between bored housewife Deirdre Barlow and factory tycoon Mike Baldwin. Their affair gripped the nation. But as we all know, it was when Deirdre’s hubby Ken found out about the affair and the scenes shared between the couple and then Mike appearing on the doorstep and Ken grabbing Deirdre and slamming her against the door that made it a classic TV moment. The Barlows did manage to rebuild their marriage but the affair began a long lasting feud between Ken and Mike.
Other affairs during the 1980s included Gail Tilsley’s affair with hubby Brian’s Australian cousin Ian Latimer in 1986. Gail later fell pregnant and wondered who the father was. Sarah Louise was born in 1987 and a DNA test revealed that Brian was indeed her father.
Jack Duckworth had a fling with Bet Lynch in 1982; and Ken Barlow had an affair with council worker Wendy Crozier in 1989 that ended his marriage to Deirdre.
While there were many affairs during the 1990s, it was Kevin Webster’s affair with vamp Natalie Horrocks in 1997 that gripped the nation once more. Natalie brought excitement to Kevin’s life in contrast to his dull marriage to Sally. The affair ended the Websters marriage. They later remarried in 2002.
Other affairs and one-night stands since then include Martin Platt and Rebecca Hopkins (1999-2000); Mark Redman and Linda Sykes (2000); Dev Alahan and Deirdre Rachid (2001); Steve McDonald and Tracy Barlow (2003); Todd Grimshaw and Karl Foster (2004); Danny Baldwin and Leanne Battersby (2005); John Stape and Rosie Webster (2007); Liam Connor and Carla Connor (2008); Steve McDonald and Becky Granger (2008); Kevin Webster and Molly Dobbs (2009-2010); Ken Barlow and Martha Fraser (2009); and Karl Munro and Sunita Alahan (2012). Both Steve and Tracy’s and Kevin and Molly’s affairs resulted in a baby: Amy and Jack respectively.
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