Top 25 Favourite Corrie Males - No. 5

(This post was originally posted by Llifon on the Coronation Street Blog in November 2015, reposted with permission.)

PETER BARLOW (205 VOTES)

Duration: 1965-1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1986, 2000-2003, 2007-2014, 2015

Played by: John Heannau, Christopher Dormer, Mark Duncan, Linus Roache, Joseph McKenna, David Lonsdale, Chris Gascoyne

2012 character poll position (men): 7

One of the twins born to Ken and Valerie Barlow fifty years ago. After appearing sporadically over 21 years, he was re-introduced in 2000 and it is this Peter that has won fans’ hearts.

After Val’s death in 1971, Peter and his sister Susan were packed up to Scotland to be raised by their maternal grandparents. Peter later joined the navy and married Jessica Midgeley in 1990.

Newly divorced Peter returned to the street in 2000. He wooed both Shelley Unwin and Lucy Richards and married them bigamously. He was never punished by the law, only by a punch from Shelley. Lucy gave birth to Simon in 2003 although she refused access to Peter. Peter then left.

He returned in 2007 with Simon, who Peter had to take on after Lucy’s death and bought the local bookies. Struggling with fatherhood and women, Peter became fond of the drink and ultimately became an alcoholic. With the support of his family and girlfriend Leanne Battersby he sobered up. But when Leanne briefly left the street, he nearly killed himself and Simon when he drunkenly left a cigarette to burn in his flat.

Peter also escaped death when a tram crashed into the street. Afraid that he was going to die, he married Leanne. Unknown to Peter, Leanne had been having an affair with her ex Nick Tilsley. When Peter found out he confronted her at their marriage blessing. The marriage survived but Peter then had an affair with Carla Connor.

Peter and Leanne divorced and Peter got engaged to Carla. But then the Barlow gene hit again as he embarked on a fling with Tina McIntyre. Peter and Carla did marry but the marriage ended when the affair was exposed. 

When Rob Donovan pushed Tina off the balcony of the builder’s yard, he framed Peter who spent months in prison. It was Rob’s confession that led to Peter being released. 

Peter left the street once more in 2014 only to return briefly when Deirdre died in 2015.

A fan of Peter? Should he return once more?

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook