(This post was originally posted by Llifon on the Coronation Street Blog in June 2013.)While pin-ups have only been a norm in soaps in the last 25 years or so, Coronation Street has had Romeos and Lotharios treading on the cobbles since the 1960s.
Ken Barlow has charmed many Weatherfield ladies over the years – he’s married four times and had 24 girlfriends. His first on-screen conquest was Susan Cunningham in 1960 and over the years his women have included the likes of Valerie Tatlock, Rita Littlewood, Wendy Nightingale, Deirdre Langton, Wendy Crozier, Alma Sedgewick, Denise Osbourne and Martha Fraser.
Another early Corrie Lothario was rough diamond Len Fairclough whose conquests included Elsie Tanner, Bet Lynch and Rita Littlewood (who managed to marry him). Len had that Scouse charm that was attractive and also he was a successful builder, joiner and plumber as well as being a councillor. His younger business partner Ray Langton also had an eye for the ladies – conquests including Irma Barlow, Sandra Butler and Audrey Fleming. A bad boy and fashionably with sideburns, Ray eventually married Deirdre Hunt. But his womanising ways led him to have an affair with Janice Stubbs which inevitably ended his marriage to Deirdre.
Someone who often clashed with Ray Langton was Annie Walker’s son Billy. Broad-shouldered and also occupying sideburns, Billy broke many a girl’s heart during his many stints on the programme between 1961 and 1984. Along with Ray, Billy Walker was the street’s heart-throb in the early 1970s and in 1974 he set his sights on Deirdre Hunt (17 years his junior). They planned to marry but Billy fled to Jersey weeks before the wedding and Deirdre later married Ray.
Businessmen Dave Smith (a ruthless-but-charming Cockney, a precursor to Mike Baldwin) and Alan Howard were also womanisers during the 1960s and 1970s with both having Elsie Tanner on their conquests list.
In 1976, Cockney Mike Baldwin bought the abandoned warehouse and established a denim factory. A ruthless boss, he soon became known for his way with the ladies. Bet Lynch fell for him immediately when he arrived and over the next thirty years Mike managed to woo the likes of Deirdre Barlow, Maggie Dunlop, Susan Barlow, Alma Sedgewick and Penny King and many more. He wined and dined them in fancy restaurants and they got to ride in his Jaguar.
Upon his arrival in 1986, Alan Bradley reminded many of Len Fairclough and indeed reminded Len’s widow Rita of him and she fell for him. While he was with Rita, he was also involved with Gloria Todd and Carole Burns. During his 20 years on the cobbles, Martin Platt also charmed many Weatherfield womenfolk including Jenny Bradley, Gail Tilsley, Sally Webster and Katy Harris.
Steve McDonald has also had his fair share of women over the years including Vicky Arden, Fiona Middleton, Karen Phillips, Tracy Barlow, Michelle Connor and Becky Granger.
Corner shop proprietor Dev Alahan in his early years was a Street Lothario (he still thinks he’s still got it!). Over the years he’s bedded Geena Gregory, Deirdre Rachid (shudder the thought!), Tracy Barlow and Sunita Parekh.
Peter Barlow has followed his father’s footsteps with the ladies and has even committed bigamy. Relationships over the years include Shelley Unwin, Lucy Richards, Maria Sutherland, Leanne Battersby, Michelle Connor and Carla Connor. Peter’s best mate Ciaran McCarthy has also used his Irish charm and good looks to whisk Sunita Pareck, Tracy Barlow and Michelle Connor off their feet.
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