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		Albion Market
Disastrous BBC soap, 1992–3, set on the Costa del Sol		Eldorado
ITV's first soap opera – twice weekly, 1957–67; set in Oxbridge General Hospital; gave John Alderton his first television role		Emergency: Ward 10
BBC, 1962–5: set in the offices of a glossy magazine – created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who went on to create Crossroads		Compact
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!"		The Grove Family
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		Hollyoaks
American soap, 1969: stars included Mia Farrow (as Allison MacKenzie) and Ryan O'Neal (as Rodney Harrington)		Peyton Place
Bea Smith, Franky Doyle, Meg Jackson (later Morris) and Vera 'Vinegar Tits' Bennett were characters in		Prisoner: Cell Block H
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		Take the High Road
BBC soap, early 1980s, set on a North Sea ferry, starring Kate O'Mara		Triangle

Coronation Street

Basics

First broadcast		9 December 1960
Creator (died in 2016, aged 79)		Tony Warren
Composer of the theme tune – received £6 for it (Wikipedia); died in 1966 aged 58		Eric Spear
Borough in which set		Weatherfield
Original (provisional) title		Florizel Street

Characters

Played by Johnny Briggs, from 1976 until the character's death in 2006		Mike Baldwin
Played by Anne Kirkbride, 1972–2014; maiden name Hunt; married Ray Langton, Ken Barlow (twice), Samir Rachid; previously engaged to Billy Walker		Deirdre Barlow
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		Ken Barlow
Played (at different times!) by Christabel Finch, Holly Chamarette, Dawn Acton, and Kate Ford		Tracy Barlow
Ken Barlow's first wife: died in 1971 when electrocuted while using a hairdryer with a faulty plug		Valerie (née Tatlock)
Surname of Les, Janice, Leanne and Toyah		Battersby
Played by Bruce Jones, 1997–2007		Les Battersby
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)		Alan Bradley
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		Minnie Caldwell
Transexual character, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh,1998–2014; died by by drinking a lethal cocktail, rather than dying of cancer		Hayley (Cropper)
Played by Loughborough–born David Neilson, since 1995		Roy Cropper
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)		Molly Dobbs
Played by William (Bill) Tarmey, from 1979 until the character's death in 2009		Jack Duckworth
Played by Liz Dawn, from 1974 until the character's death in 2008		Vera Duckworth
Known for repeating everything he said, for emphasis – in the manner of the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn		Fred Elliott
Cellarman at the Rover's Return, 1975–84: played by Fred Feast (actor died in 1999, aged 69)		Fred Gee
Played by Katherine Kelly, 2006–12; Steve McDonald's second wife		Becky Granger
Reg Holdsworth's mother–in–law, after he married Maureen (played by Elizabeth Bradley)		Maud Grimes
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!		Eileen Grimshaw
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		Richard Hillman
Supermarket manager, played by Ken Morley (1989–95)		Reg Holdsworth
Deirdre's first husband, and biological father of Tracy; played by Neville Buswell, 1966, 1968–78 and 2005		Ray Langton
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		Martha Longhurst
Played by Michelle Keegan, 2008–14		Tina McIntyre
Emily Bishop's maiden name		Nugent
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		Spider
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		Stan Ogden
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)		Ashley Peacock
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		Pat Phelan
Played by Suranne Jones, 2000–4: married Steve McDonald twice		Karen Phillips
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)		David Platt
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)		Kylie Platt
Married Brian Tilsley, Martin Platt, Richard Hillman, Joe McIntyre, Michael Rodwell		Gail (née Potter)
Played by Catherine Tyldesley, 2011–18		Eva Price
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		Stella Price
Played by Thelma Barlow		Mavis Riley (Wilton)
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)		Rita
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)		Ena Sharples
Minnie Caldwell's lodger, 1961–3: played by Kenneth Cope – also famous as Marty Hopkirk in Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased); reappeared 2008–9		Jed Stone
Murdered by Tracy Barlow, 2007		Charlie Stubbs
Had a budgie called Randy		Percy Sugden
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)		Arnold Swain
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		Elsie Tanner
Ken Barlow's uncle by marriage, played by Jack Howarth (died 1984)		Albert Tatlock
Ken Barlow's first wife: played by Anne Reid (later to star as Jean in dinnerladies); 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		Valerie (née Tatlock)
Played by Lynn Perrie, 1971–2 and 1974–94; also known by the surnames Nelson and Brennan		Ivy Tilsley
Born New Year's Eve 1980; played by Warren Jackson 1981–96, Adam Rickitt 1997–2004, Ben Price 2009–		Nick Tilsley
Played by Doris Speed (1960–83)		Annie Walker
Played by Michael le Vell		Kevin Webster
Played by Helen Flanagan, 2000–12		Rosie Webster
Birth surname Seddon; played by an actress with the same forename, birth surname Whittaker, married surname (since 1995) Dynevor		Sally Webster
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		Derek & Mavis Wilton
Played by Sarah Lancashire, 1991–6		Raquel Wolstenhulme
"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		Eddie Yeats

Actors

Ena Sharples (1960–80) – the original Corrie 'battle–axe'		Violet Carson
Stella Price (2011–14)		Michelle Collins
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		Betty Driver
Former member of Boyzone, played barman Ciaran McCarthy 2002–5 and 2010–11		Keith Duffy
Maria Sutherland (later Connor)		Samia Ghadie
Gloria Price – mother of Stella, and grandmother of Eva (2012–14)		Sue Johnston
Played Ena Sharples's grandson Colin Lomax		Davy Jones
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		Anne Kirkbride
Plays Rita; said to be the highest–paid cast member (at £260,000 p.a.), until overtaken by Anne Kirkbride in 2006		Barbara Knox
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		Maureen Lipman
Played Leonard Swindley, 1960–5		Arthur Lowe
Appeared in eight episodes in 1973, as Elaine Perkins – a schoolteacher who turned down Ken Barlow's offer of marriage		Joanna Lumley
Former member of Hear'Say, played Michelle Connor from 2006 to 2019		Kym Marsh
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		Sue Nicholls
Played Len Fairclough's son Stanley, 1961 (other actors played him later)		Peter Noone
Played Milton Fanshaw, in a three–week "guest role", Jan–Feb 2012		Robert Vaughn
Played Mike Baldwin's nephew Danny, later revealed to be his son, 2004–6		Bradley Walsh
Gail Potter / Tilsley / Platt / Hillman / McIntyre		Helen Worth

The Ogdens

Hilda's maiden name		Crabtree
Stan's occupation		Window cleaner
Hilda's cat (bequeathed to her in 1986 by her friend Ada Arrowsmith)		Rommel
Hilda's reply, when Stan asked her what her lipstick tasted of		"Woman, Stanley – Woman"

Other

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

Crossroads

Broadcast (original series)		1964–88
Revival broadcast		2001–3
Co–creator of Crossroads, died 2006		Peter Ling
Crossroads Motel was in		King's Oak
Played shareholder David Hunter, 1969–85		Ronald Allen
Meg Richardson was played by		Noelle Gordon
Meg's son Sandy was played by		Roger Tonge
Benny Hawkins was played by		Paul Henry
Adam Chance (1978–88) was played by		Tony Adams
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		Jill Harvey (née Richardson)

EastEnders

First broadcast		19 February 1985
Fictional London borough in which set		Walford
Postal area		E20
Brewery that supplies the Queen Vic		Churchill's
The Queen Vic is on the corner of Albert Square and		Bridge Street

The original central family: husband and wife Arthur and Pauline, teenage children Mark and Michelle, third child Martin born 1985		Fowler
Pauline Fowler's maiden name: her brother Pete was married to Kathy, played by Gillian Taylforth		Beale
Son of Pete and Kathy was played by Adam Woodyatt; married Cindy Williams, Melanie Healy, Laura Dunn, Jane Collins (twice)		Ian Beale
Murdered in 2014 – the murderer was revealed 11 months later, in the live 30th anniversary episode, to be her half–brother Bobby		Lucy Beale
'Dirty' Denis (Den) Watts – original landlord of the Queen Vic was played by		Leslie Grantham
Den's wife, Angie		Anita Dobson
Played by former comedian Mike Reid, off and on from 1987 to 2005; actor died 2007 aged 67		Frank Butcher
Played by June Brown from 1985; in 2008, became the first character in a British soap to appear in a completely monologue episode		Dot Cotton (later Branning)
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		Nick Cotton
Unpopular pensioner, found dying in his flat in the first episode, having been beaten up		Reg Cox
Fell to his death from a Scottish cliff, on New Year's Day 2004		Barry Evans
The popular Jewish GP, played by Leonard Fenton, who appeared regularly from 1985 to 1989 and sporadically thereafter (Fenton died in 2022, aged 95)		Harold Legg
Nickname of garage mechanic Richard (Rick) Peterson – because as an apprentice he was always late for work (turning up "after eight"!)		Minty
Played by Martin Kemp		Steve Owen
Ethel Skinner's dog		Willie
Robbie Jackson's dog		Wellard
Played by Tom Watt, 1985–8; real first name George		'Lofty' Holloway

Future Spice Girl, played a teenage mugger		Emma Bunton
Phil Mitchell is played by		Steve McFadden

Brookside

Broadcast		1982–2003
Played by Simon O'Brien; killed off (murdered) in Britain's first "soap bubble", Damon and Debbie, 1987		Damon Grant
Thomas Sweeney's nickname		Sinbad
Played Sinbad for 16 years; joined Coronation Street in 2007		Michael Starke

Emmerdale

First broadcast (as Emmerdale Farm)		1972
Title changed to Emmerdale		1989
Until 1994, the village (now called Emmerdale) was called		Beckindale
Original location for Beckindale (until 1976 – in Littondale)		Arncliffe
Location used from 1976 to 1998 (including the Woolpack)		Esholt
Funeral took place in the first episode		Jacob Sugden
Joe Sugden (1972–94)		Frazer Hines
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)		Sheila Mercier
Played by Andrew Burt 1972–4 (and 1976), Clive Hornby 1980–2008 (Clive Hornby died 2008)		Jack Sugden
B&B next to the Woolpack – run by Eric and Viv Pollard (previously Alan Turner)		The Grange

Neighbours

First broadcast		1985
First broadcast in the UK (on BBC 1)		October 1986
City in which set		Melbourne
Set in (fictional suburb of Melbourne – almost an anagram of Neighbours!)		Erinsborough
Character played by Kylie Minogue		Charlene Mitchell
Character played by Jason Donovan		Scott Robinson
Played by Ian Smith, 1987–91 and 1996–2008		Harold Bishop
Played by Vivean Gray (who also appeared in the Australian period drama The Sullivans, 1976–83, and Prisoner: Cell Bock H)		Mrs. (Nell) Mangel (later Worthington)
Beth Brennan was played by		Natalie Imbruglia

Dallas

Broadcast		1978–91
J. R. Ewing		Larry Hagman
Miss Ellie		Barbara Bel Geddes
Jock & Ellie's three sons		JR
		Gary
		Bobby
Full first names of Jock, JR and JR's second and most favoured son		John Ross
Bobby was played by		Patrick Duffy
The Ewing family ranch		Southfork
Sue Ellen was played by		Linda Gray
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		Pam Ewing
Pamela Ewing (née Barnes) was played by		Victoria Principal
Terry Wogan's nickname for Lucy Ewing (originally that of a senior member of Stalin's secret police)		The Poison Dwarf
Who shot JR?		Kristen Shepherd
Kristen's relationship to J.R.		Sister–in–law
Family that rivalled the Ewings, and one of whom, Pam, married Bobby Ewing		Barnes
Cliff Barnes was played by		Ken Kercheval
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		Knots Landing
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		1981–9
Set in		Denver, Colorado
The two families featured		Carrington, Colby
Blake Carrington (patriarch of the Carrington family)		John Forsythe
The character of Blake Carrington was originally written for		George Peppard
Blake Carrington's former wife, played by Joan Collins – made a much–hyped entrance at the start of the second series		Alexis
Blake Carrington's second wife (married in the first series), played by Linda Evans		Krystle
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		Fallon (Carrington Colby)
Wealthy horse breeder Daniel Reece was played by (former Hollywood star – his last acting role, 1984–5)		Rock Hudson
US president who made a guest appearance as himself, in 1983		Gerald Ford

Other

People

Composed the theme tunes for Crossroads and Neighbours		Tony Hatch
Played Jason Colby in The Colbys		Charlton Heston
Home & Away: played Emma Jackson before launching a pop music career		Dannii Minogue
Creator of Grange Hill, Brookside, and Hollyoaks (founder of Mersey Television)		Phil Redmond
Angela Channing was played by (first wife of Ronald Reagan)		Jane Wyman

Programmes

CBS soap (1981–90) featuring corrupt matriarch Angela Channing		Falcon Crest
Dynasty spin–off set in California (1985–7)		The Colbys
Ray Meagher plays Alf Stewart, and (as of 2016) is the only remaining member of the original (1988) cast		Home and Away
Australian soap, 1985–87, featuring Kylie Minogue as Charlotte Kernow – her first lead role		The Henderson Kids
Welsh–language soap: the longest–running soap produced by the BBC; first broadcast in 1974, and shown on S4C since 1982		Pobol y Cwm (People of the Valley)
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)		Take the High Road

Other (including Characters)

Hollyoaks: set in (Hollyoaks is a suburb of)		Chester
Home & Away: fearsome headmaster of the local High School, 1988–2003 (played by Norman Coburn)		Donald Fisher
Home & Away: fictional setting		Summer Bay

© Haydn Thompson 2017–25