Betty holds two records: the longest serving barmaid in soap history and the oldest barmaid in soap history. Nearly ninety, she’s still pulling pints behind the Rovers bar, forty years after she first did it. First husband Cyril Turpin was a policeman and Betty was heartbroken when he died of a heart attack in 1974. The same year she was revealed as the mother of her ‘nephew’ Gordon, a storyline that angered Bill Kenwright (Gordon Clegg) and Irene Sutcliffe (Maggie Cooke). It would be 21 years before Betty, now 75, would walk down the aisle again. Second husband Billy Williams was an old flame from the war and they met on the fiftieth anniversary of VE Day. He died in 1997 of the same fate as Cyril. Betty is famous for her Lancashire hotpot, a dish she has served since the seventies. Betty has always been popular with the punters and has been a shoulder to cry on to many. She formed a close friendship with co barmaid Bet Lynch in 1970 that lasts to this day and although she didn’t like being bossed around by her, she respected her boss of 14 years – the formidable Mrs Annie Walker!
Should Betty be at 17? Or down a bit at 18? Leave comments!
Should Betty be at 17? Or down a bit at 18? Leave comments!
Without a doubt a legend.
ReplyDeleteI'm annoyed the writters have turned her so grumpy. I miss her in the 70s and 80s when she was a more cheerful character. I think she turned grumpy when Bet bought the Rovers in 1985.
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