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Arts & Entertainment
Television
Soap Operas

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Titles
Coronation Street
Crossroads
EastEnders
Brookside
Emmerdale
Neighbours
Dallas
Dynasty
Other

Soap Operas

Titles

Ill–fated ITV soap, set in Salford and intended as a "companion" to Coronation Street: first broadcast in 1985, but axed after just under a year Click to show or hide the answer
Disastrous BBC soap, 1992–3, set on the Costa del Sol Click to show or hide the answer
ITV's first soap opera – twice weekly, 1957–67; set in Oxbridge General Hospital; gave John Alderton his first television role Click to show or hide the answer
BBC, 1962–5: set in the offices of a glossy magazine – created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who went on to create Crossroads Click to show or hide the answer
Britain's first TV soap opera (BBC, 1954–7); named after the studios where it was made (Lime Grove); written by the father and elder brother of Jon Pertwee; praised by the Queen Mother – "So English, so real!" Click to show or hide the answer
Features a pub called the Dog in the Pond, a nightclub called The Loft, a bistro called Nosh Village, and a motor accessories shop called Dan's Pit Stop Click to show or hide the answer
American soap, 1969: stars included Mia Farrow (as Allison MacKenzie) and Ryan O'Neal (as Rodney Harrington) Click to show or hide the answer
Bea Smith, Franky Doyle, Meg Jackson (later Morris) and Vera 'Vinegar Tits' Bennett were characters in Click to show or hide the answer
1980–2003: produced by Scottish Television, set in the fictional village of Glendarroch; exteriors were filmed in the real–life village of Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond Click to show or hide the answer
BBC soap, early 1980s, set on a North Sea ferry, starring Kate O'Mara Click to show or hide the answer

Coronation Street

Basics

First broadcast Click to show or hide the answer
Creator (died in 2016, aged 79) Click to show or hide the answer
Composer of the theme tune – received £6 for it (Wikipedia); died in 1966 aged 58 Click to show or hide the answer
Borough in which set Click to show or hide the answer
Original (provisional) title Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer

Characters

Played by Johnny Briggs, from 1976 until the character's death in 2006 Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Anne Kirkbride, 1972–2014; maiden name Hunt; married Ray Langton, Ken Barlow (twice), Samir Rachid; previously engaged to Billy Walker Click to show or hide the answer
Subject of a real–life campaign for release when imprisoned for fraud in 1998
Last appeared in October 2014; actress died of breast cancer in January 2015, aged 60; character written out with an emotional funeral in July 2015
Last surviving character from the first episode; played by William (Bill) Roache Click to show or hide the answer
Played (at different times!) by Christabel Finch, Holly Chamarette, Dawn Acton, and Kate Ford Click to show or hide the answer
Surname of Les, Janice, Leanne and Toyah Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Bruce Jones, 1997–2007 Click to show or hide the answer
Father of Rita's foster daughter Jenny; proposed to Rita, later assaulted her and was tried for attempted murder, but freed on a plea bargain. Rita then moved to Blackpool, and he was hit and killed by a tram while chasing her along the prom (1989) Click to show or hide the answer
Ena Sharples's timid, loveable, "daft" drinking companion (cf. Martha Longhurst), and Jed Stone's landlady: played by Margo Bryant; had a cat called Bobby; almost married Albert Tatlock; left in 1976 to live in Whaley Bridge Click to show or hide the answer
Transexual character, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh,1998–2014; died by by drinking a lethal cocktail, rather than dying of cancer Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Loughborough–born David Neilson, since 1995 Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Vicky Binns, 2005–10; a former schoolmate of Fiz Brown (by whom she had been bullied); maiden name Compton; married Tyrone Dobbs, 2009; died in the live 50th anniversary episode, December 2010, when a tram crashed into the corner shop from a viaduct following a gas explosion at The Joinery (the former incarnation of Nick's Bistro) Click to show or hide the answer
Played by William (Bill) Tarmey, from 1979 until the character's death in 2009 Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Liz Dawn, from 1974 until the character's death in 2008 Click to show or hide the answer
Known for repeating everything he said, for emphasis – in the manner of the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn Click to show or hide the answer
Cellarman at the Rover's Return, 1975–84: played by Fred Feast (actor died in 1999, aged 69) Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Katherine Kelly, 2006–12; Steve McDonald's second wife Click to show or hide the answer
Reg Holdsworth's mother–in–law, after he married Maureen (played by Elizabeth Bradley) Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Sue Cleaver, 2000 to date: a feisty single mother, originally taken on by Vikram Desai to operate the radio at his taxi firm, StreetCars; still working there twenty years later! Click to show or hide the answer
Gail's third husband (2002); murdered Maxine Peacock when she caught him trying to kill Emily Bishop; drowned in 2003 while trying to kill Gail, Sarah Louise and David (as well as himself) by driving his car into a canal Click to show or hide the answer
Supermarket manager, played by Ken Morley (1989–95) Click to show or hide the answer
Deirdre's first husband, and biological father of Tracy; played by Neville Buswell, 1966, 1968–78 and 2005 Click to show or hide the answer
Ena Sharples's talkative drinking companion (cf. Minnie Caldwell); played by Lynne Carol, died of a heart attack in the snug of the Rovers in 1964 Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Michelle Keegan, 2008–14 Click to show or hide the answer
Emily Bishop's maiden name Click to show or hide the answer
Nickname of Emily's 'eco–warrior' nephew, Geoffrey (1997–2003); she left the Street in 2015 to join him in Peru, working to save the environment Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Bernard Youens, 1964–84; actor suffered a heart attack in 1972 and a stroke in 1975, leaving him with a speech impairment, and died in 1984 aged 69 Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Steven Arnold, 1995–2010; turned out to be Fred Elliott's son, having always believed he was his nephew; married Maxine Heavey; died December 2010 in the live 50th anniversary episode (see Molly Dobbs) Click to show or hide the answer
Regarded as one of the best soap villains of all time: played by Liverpool–born Connor McIntyre, 2013–14 and 2016–18; his first stint ended in him coercing Anna Windass into having sex with him; following his return he married Eileen Grimshaw, and murdered two characters (Luke Britton and Andy Carver) and caused the death of a third (Michael Rodwell), before falling into the sea and being presumed dead; after shooting Michelle Connor and his daughter Nicola, he was finally stabbed to death by Anna Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Suranne Jones, 2000–4: married Steve McDonald twice Click to show or hide the answer
Born on Christmas Day 1990; played by Thomas Ormson 1990–99, Jack P. Shepherd from 2000; shares his name with a former England footballer (62 caps, 1989–96) Click to show or hide the answer
Inherited a dog from a client, which was named after him (as well as £20,000, most of which he had to give away)
Played by Paula Lane, 2010–16 (character née Turner; half–sister to Becky Granger) Click to show or hide the answer
Married Brian Tilsley, Martin Platt, Richard Hillman, Joe McIntyre, Michael Rodwell Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Catherine Tyldesley, 2011–18 Click to show or hide the answer
Mother of the above – played by Michelle Collins (2011–14): replaced Liz McDonald as manager of the Rovers Return; turned out to be the mother of Leanne Battersby Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Thelma Barlow Click to show or hide the answer
First appeared in 1964, for one episode; then regularly from 1972; maiden surname Littlewood; married Len Fairclough (197?–83), Ted Sullivan (1992, for 3 months until his death), Dennis Tanner (2012) Click to show or hide the answer
The original Corrie battleaxe; played by Violet Carson; caretaker of the Mission Hall; famous for her hairnet; left unexpectedly in 1980, mainly due to the actress's ill health (she died in 1983) Click to show or hide the answer
Minnie Caldwell's lodger, 1961–3: played by Kenneth Cope – also famous as Marty Hopkirk in Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased); reappeared 2008–9 Click to show or hide the answer
Murdered by Tracy Barlow, 2007 Click to show or hide the answer
Had a budgie called Randy Click to show or hide the answer
Emily Bishop's second husband (they married in 1980, two years after Ernest's death): turned out to be a bigamist, and died in a mental hospital the following year) Click to show or hide the answer
The original "tart with a heart" – played by Pat Phoenix (died of lung cancer in 1986, aged 62); Ena Sharples's bete noire; described by James Callaghan as "the sexiest thing on television"; maiden name Grimshaw; married Arnold Tanner 1939 (aged 16), Steve Tanner 1967, Alan Howard 1970 (divorced 1978); left 1984, to help Bill Gregory run his wine bar in Portugal Click to show or hide the answer
Ken Barlow's uncle by marriage, played by Jack Howarth (died 1984) Click to show or hide the answer
Ken Barlow's first wife: died in 1971, on the night before the family was planning to emigrate to Jamaica, electrocuted by a faulty hair dryer and/or power socket Click to show or hide the answer
Born New Year's Eve 1980; played by Warren Jackson 1981–96, Adam Rickitt 1997–2004, Ben Price 2009– Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Doris Speed (1960–83) Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Michael le Vell Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Helen Flanagan, 2000–12 Click to show or hide the answer
Birth surname Seddon; played by an actress with the same forename, birth surname Whittaker, married surname (since 1995) Dynevor Click to show or hide the answer
Jilted each other in 1984, but married in 1988. He suffered a fatal heart attack after a road rage incident in 1997, after which she retired to the Lake District Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Sarah Lancashire, 1991–6 Click to show or hide the answer
"Much–loved binman", brought in as a lodger for Stan & Hilda Ogden in 1975 (following Bernard Youens's stroke, to give him less dialogue); left in 1984, returned briefly in 1987 Click to show or hide the answer

Actors

Ena Sharples (1960–80) – the original Corrie 'battle–axe' Click to show or hide the answer
Stella Price (2011–14) Click to show or hide the answer
Former variety performer and big band singer, played Betty Turpin / Williams (long–term barmaid in the Rover's Return, famous for her hotpots – last seen in May 2011, written out in April 2012) from 1969; died in October 2011, aged 91 Click to show or hide the answer
Former member of Boyzone, played barman Ciaran McCarthy 2002–5 and 2010–11 Click to show or hide the answer
Maria Sutherland (later Connor) Click to show or hide the answer
Gloria Price – mother of Stella, and grandmother of Eva (2012–14) Click to show or hide the answer
Played Ena Sharples's grandson Colin Lomax Click to show or hide the answer
Played Deirdre for 42 years (1972–2014); reported to have become the highest–paid member of the cast (at £270,000 p.a.) in 2006 Click to show or hide the answer
Plays Rita; said to be the highest–paid cast member (at £260,000 p.a.), until overtaken by Anne Kirkbride in 2006 Click to show or hide the answer
Played Evelyn Plummer, Tyrone Dobbs's long–lost grandmother, from 2018; previously played Lillian Spencer, a character employed by Fred Elliott to run the Rovers Return, for a six–week period in 2002 Click to show or hide the answer
Played Leonard Swindley, 1960–5 Click to show or hide the answer
Appeared in eight episodes in 1973, as Elaine Perkins – a schoolteacher who turned down Ken Barlow's offer of marriage Click to show or hide the answer
Former member of Hear'Say, played Michelle Connor from 2006 to 2019 Click to show or hide the answer
Has played Audrey Potter/Roberts since 1979; daughter of a Conservative MP and MEP, later a life peer, and therefore entitled to be addressed as "the Honorable ... "; previously appeared in Crossroads (1964–8), Reggie Perrin and Rentaghost Click to show or hide the answer
Played Len Fairclough's son Stanley, 1961 (other actors played him later) Click to show or hide the answer
Played Milton Fanshaw, in a three–week "guest role", Jan–Feb 2012 Click to show or hide the answer
Played Mike Baldwin's nephew Danny, later revealed to be his son, 2004–6 Click to show or hide the answer
Gail Potter / Tilsley / Platt / Hillman / McIntyre Click to show or hide the answer

The Ogdens

Hilda's maiden name Click to show or hide the answer
Stan's occupation Click to show or hide the answer
Hilda's cat (bequeathed to her in 1986 by her friend Ada Arrowsmith) Click to show or hide the answer
Hilda's reply, when Stan asked her what her lipstick tasted of Click to show or hide the answer

Other

Greyhound owned by Evelyn Plummer Click to show or hide the answer
Eddie Yeats's occupation, and Curly Watts's (when he first appeared) Click to show or hide the answer
Dog that Ken and Dierdre Barlow took in after the death of Dierdre's mother (Blanche) Click to show or hide the answer
Brewery that the Rovers Return was tied to until 1995, and which still supplies its draught beers Click to show or hide the answer
Appeared in a specially–recorded news bulletin, in the 40th anniversary episode (in the year 2000) Click to show or hide the answer
The Rovers Return Inn is on the corner of Coronation Street and Click to show or hide the answer
The local football club Click to show or hide the answer

Crossroads

Broadcast (original series) Click to show or hide the answer
Revival broadcast Click to show or hide the answer
Co–creator of Crossroads, died 2006 Click to show or hide the answer
Crossroads Motel was in Click to show or hide the answer
Played shareholder David Hunter, 1969–85 Click to show or hide the answer
Meg Richardson was played by Click to show or hide the answer
Meg's son Sandy was played by Click to show or hide the answer
Benny Hawkins was played by Click to show or hide the answer
Adam Chance (1978–88) was played by Click to show or hide the answer
The only survivor of the original cast, when the original series ended in 1988, when she was seen driving into the sunset with her new lover John Maddingham; returned for the 2001 revival, but was murdered three months later by her ex–husband Adam Chance; played by Jane Rossington Click to show or hide the answer

EastEnders

First broadcast Click to show or hide the answer
Fictional London borough in which set Click to show or hide the answer
Postal area Click to show or hide the answer
Brewery that supplies the Queen Vic Click to show or hide the answer
The Queen Vic is on the corner of Albert Square and Click to show or hide the answer

The original central family: husband and wife Arthur and Pauline, teenage children Mark and Michelle, third child Martin born 1985 Click to show or hide the answer
Pauline Fowler's maiden name: her brother Pete was married to Kathy, played by Gillian Taylforth Click to show or hide the answer
Son of Pete and Kathy was played by Adam Woodyatt; married Cindy Williams, Melanie Healy, Laura Dunn, Jane Collins (twice) Click to show or hide the answer
Murdered in 2014 – the murderer was revealed 11 months later, in the live 30th anniversary episode, to be her half–brother Bobby Click to show or hide the answer
'Dirty' Denis (Den) Watts – original landlord of the Queen Vic was played by Click to show or hide the answer
Den's wife, Angie Click to show or hide the answer
Played by former comedian Mike Reid, off and on from 1987 to 2005; actor died 2007 aged 67 Click to show or hide the answer
Played by June Brown from 1985; in 2008, became the first character in a British soap to appear in a completely monologue episode Click to show or hide the answer
Played by John Altman: turned out to be responsible for the murder of Reg Cox in the opening episode (1985); also murdered Eddie Royle in 1991; became a heroin addict; also displayed racist tendencies; tried repeatedly to poison his own mother; conspired to fake his own death; unintentionally caused the deaths of his son Ashley in 2001 and former police officer Emma Summerhayes (Anna Acton) in 2015; found dead in the 30th anniversary episode, 2015, in a scene echoing the murder of Reg Cox; his mother confesses to his murder and is sentenced to 14 months in prison, but released after four months Click to show or hide the answer
Unpopular pensioner, found dying in his flat in the first episode, having been beaten up Click to show or hide the answer
Fell to his death from a Scottish cliff, on New Year's Day 2004 Click to show or hide the answer
The popular Jewish GP, played by Leonard Fenton, who appeared regularly from 1985 to 1989 and sporadically thereafter (Fenton died in 2022, aged 95) Click to show or hide the answer
Nickname of garage mechanic Richard (Rick) Peterson – because as an apprentice he was always late for work (turning up "after eight"!) Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Martin Kemp Click to show or hide the answer
Ethel Skinner's dog Click to show or hide the answer
Robbie Jackson's dog Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Tom Watt, 1985–8; real first name George Click to show or hide the answer

Future Spice Girl, played a teenage mugger Click to show or hide the answer
Phil Mitchell is played by Click to show or hide the answer

Brookside

Broadcast Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Simon O'Brien; killed off (murdered) in Britain's first "soap bubble", Damon and Debbie, 1987 Click to show or hide the answer
Thomas Sweeney's nickname Click to show or hide the answer
Played Sinbad for 16 years; joined Coronation Street in 2007 Click to show or hide the answer

Emmerdale

First broadcast (as Emmerdale Farm) Click to show or hide the answer
Title changed to Emmerdale Click to show or hide the answer
Until 1994, the village (now called Emmerdale) was called Click to show or hide the answer
Original location for Beckindale (until 1976 – in Littondale) Click to show or hide the answer
Location used from 1976 to 1998 (including the Woolpack) Click to show or hide the answer
Funeral took place in the first episode Click to show or hide the answer
Joe Sugden (1972–94) Click to show or hide the answer
Elder sister of Brian Rix: played matriarch Annie Sugden for over 20 years, beginning with the very first episode; died in 2019, aged 100 (married name) Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Andrew Burt 1972–4 (and 1976), Clive Hornby 1980–2008 (Clive Hornby died 2008) Click to show or hide the answer
B&B next to the Woolpack – run by Eric and Viv Pollard (previously Alan Turner) Click to show or hide the answer

Neighbours

First broadcast Click to show or hide the answer
First broadcast in the UK (on BBC 1) Click to show or hide the answer
City in which set Click to show or hide the answer
Set in (fictional suburb of Melbourne – almost an anagram of Neighbours!) Click to show or hide the answer
Character played by Kylie Minogue Click to show or hide the answer
Character played by Jason Donovan Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Ian Smith, 1987–91 and 1996–2008 Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Vivean Gray (who also appeared in the Australian period drama The Sullivans, 1976–83, and Prisoner: Cell Bock H)Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Beth Brennan was played by Click to show or hide the answer

Dallas

Broadcast Click to show or hide the answer
J. R. Ewing Click to show or hide the answer
Miss Ellie Click to show or hide the answer
Jock & Ellie's three sons Click to show or hide the answer
Click to show or hide the answer
Click to show or hide the answer
Full first names of Jock, JR and JR's second and most favoured son Click to show or hide the answer
Bobby was played by Click to show or hide the answer
The Ewing family ranch Click to show or hide the answer
Sue Ellen was played by Click to show or hide the answer
Woke up (in the last episode of Series 9) to find her husband, Bobby Ewing, in the shower, and discover that the previous two years, including his death, had all been a dream Click to show or hide the answer
Pamela Ewing (née Barnes) was played by Click to show or hide the answer
Terry Wogan's nickname for Lucy Ewing (originally that of a senior member of Stalin's secret police) Click to show or hide the answer
Who shot JR? Click to show or hide the answer
Kristen's relationship to J.R. Click to show or hide the answer
Family that rivalled the Ewings, and one of whom, Pam, married Bobby Ewing Click to show or hide the answer
Cliff Barnes was played by Click to show or hide the answer
Spin–off: featuring Gary Ewing (played by a different actor) and his teenage sweetheart, after they reunite and his mother (Miss Ellie) buys them a house in Los Angeles; ran from 1979 to 1993 – eventually outlasting Dallas Click to show or hide the answer
Set in a fictional coastal suburb of Los Angeles; centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul–de–sac called Seaview Circle

Dynasty

Broadcast Click to show or hide the answer
Set in Click to show or hide the answer
The two families featured Click to show or hide the answer
Blake Carrington (patriarch of the Carrington family) Click to show or hide the answer
The character of Blake Carrington was originally written for Click to show or hide the answer
Blake Carrington's former wife, played by Joan Collins – made a much–hyped entrance at the start of the second series Click to show or hide the answer
Blake Carrington's second wife (married in the first series), played by Linda Evans Click to show or hide the answer
Played by Pamela Sue Martin 1981–4, Emma Samms 1985–91; married Jeff Colby, and went on to appear in The Colbys. Presumed dead in a plane crash, she reappears 24 episodes later suffering from amnesia and calling herself Randall Adams Click to show or hide the answer
Wealthy horse breeder Daniel Reece was played by (former Hollywood star – his last acting role, 1984–5) Click to show or hide the answer
US president who made a guest appearance as himself, in 1983 Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer

Other

People

Composed the theme tunes for Crossroads and Neighbours Click to show or hide the answer
Played Jason Colby in The Colbys Click to show or hide the answer
Home & Away: played Emma Jackson before launching a pop music career Click to show or hide the answer
Creator of Grange Hill, Brookside, and Hollyoaks (founder of Mersey Television) Click to show or hide the answer
Angela Channing was played by (first wife of Ronald Reagan) Click to show or hide the answer

Programmes

CBS soap (1981–90) featuring corrupt matriarch Angela Channing Click to show or hide the answer
Dynasty spin–off set in California (1985–7) Click to show or hide the answer
Ray Meagher plays Alf Stewart, and (as of 2016) is the only remaining member of the original (1988) cast Click to show or hide the answer
Australian soap, 1985–87, featuring Kylie Minogue as Charlotte Kernow – her first lead role Click to show or hide the answer
Welsh–language soap: the longest–running soap produced by the BBC; first broadcast in 1974, and shown on S4C since 1982 Click to show or hide the answer
ITV's Scottish soap, 1980–2003, set in the fictional village of Glendarroch (filmed in the real–life village of Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond) Click to show or hide the answer

Other (including Characters)

Hollyoaks: set in (Hollyoaks is a suburb of) Click to show or hide the answer
Home & Away: fearsome headmaster of the local High School, 1988–2003 (played by Norman Coburn) Click to show or hide the answer
Home & Away: fictional setting Click to show or hide the answer

© Haydn Thompson 2017–23