Top 50 Coronation Street Characters

44. Ray Langton

Ranked at 48 in Corrieblog’s poll, Ray Langton has reached the 44^th position in this poll. He first appeared in 1966, working in the builder’s yard with Len Fairclough and Jerry Booth. For the next twelve years he would be in relationships with many women and he was soon given the title of Street hunk. Originally a bad boy, who stole tools from the yard and attempted to rape Lucille Hewitt, Ray developed to be more sensible, although he did have an affair with young Audrey Fleming. After dating Sandra Butler and Irma Barlow, he married Deirdre Hunt in 1975 and two years later, daughter Tracy was born. Rather abruptly in 1978, the actor who played Ray, Neville Buswell, decided to quit the show and Ray left Deirdre and Tracy for a job in Amsterdam (although the marriage had survived Ray’s affair with Janice Stubbs earlier in the year). It would be 26 years before Ray would return to the cobbles – coinciding with Deirdre’s wedding to Ken Barlow (for the second time). Ray had returned to make amends with Deirdre and Tracy before he would die of stomach cancer in the Rovers.

Is he at 44? What did you think of his reappearance in 2005? Leave comments!

Top 50 Coronation Street Characters

45. Sally Webster

Although ranked at 16 in Corrieblog’s poll, the street’s Hyacinth Bucket, Sally Webster, is in the 45^th position here, receiving only two votes. First appearing in 1986, Sally was introduced as the latest love interest for mechanic Kevin Webster. Her family were known to be common and were looked down by Hilda Ogden, of all people! She married Kevin that year and they had two girls: Rosie in 1990 and Sophie in 1994 – both giving grief for poor Sally in their later years. After eleven years, Sally and Kevin divorced after his affair with Natalie Horrocks. Between 1997 and 2002, the year she remarried Kevin, Sally had relationships with Chris Collins, Greg Kelly, Alex Jordan, Danny Hargreaves and Martin Platt. Since her second marriage to Kevin, she has developed to be the street’s snob, following the footsteps of Annie Walker, after entering Rosie to Weatherfield’s private school Oakhill. Her friendships with Gail Platt and Rita Sullivan are the strongest in Coronation Street’s history and her slapping love rival Natalie in the street is one of the show’s most memorable scenes.

So should Sally be at 45? Or does she deserve her 16th position? Leave comments!

Top 50 Coronation Street Characters

46. Albert Tatlock

On his debut, Albert Tatlock was already a pensioner, and a grumpy one at that! He was fondly remembered for his flat cap and the times when the Rovers regulars would listen to his war stories. A poignant moment was when his lodger Ken Barlow was given his set of medals after he passed away in 1984. For his tenure of 24 years, Albert was a widower, although he was involved with two women: Alice Pickens and Minnie Caldwell. He was engaged to be married to Alice in 1969 but they called the wedding off when they believed they were jinxed when the vicar’s car broke down. In 1973, he was wooing old friend Minnie and they also became engaged but Minnie grew tired of his habits (like drinking tea from a saucer) and called it off, and they remained friends. Not one to star in dramatic storylines, Mr Tatlock’s life revolved around his allotment and heated discussions with Minnie and her friend Ena Sharples in the snug. By 1983, Albert’s health deteriorated (as did Jack Howarth’s, the actor who played him) and he died off-screen in mid 1984, leaving Ken as the only original character still in the show.

Does he deserve to be at 46? Leave comments!

Top 50 Coronation Street Characters

47. Derek Wilton

Although he first appeared in 1976, gnome lover Derek didn’t become a permanent character until over a decade later. He was brought into the serial as the love interest of reserved Kabin assistant Mavis Riley. He was off our screens until 1983, when he had to fight against potter Victor Pendlebury for Mavis’ affections, a triangle that ran side by side with Ken, Mike and Deirdre. Derek won the battle and in 1984 they planned to marry, but Mavis had cold feet and when Rita went to tell Derek in church, he wasn’t there, he’d had cold feet as well! A Wilton jilting indeed! Derek disappeared again until 1987, when he returned to romance Mavis. He also revealed that he had indeed married Angela Hawthorne, but it was Mavis he truly loved. The couple married in 1988 and moved into the Kabin flat. Although they were mocked for their eccentricity, they were regarded as pillars of the community and are still a firm favourite with viewers. Only married for nine years, the marriage ended when Derek died of a heart attack, due to Peter Baldwin (who played Derek) being sacked by then producer Brian Park.

So, do you think Derek should be at 47? Leave comments!

Top 50 Coronation Street Characters

48. Maggie Cooke (known as Maggie Clegg)

Played by Irene Sutcliffe between 1968 and 1975, Maggie Clegg was an undisputed pillar of the community, as the proprietor of the corner shop. She moved into the street in 1968 with hubby Les and son Gordon. It was later revealed that Les was an alcoholic and Maggie divorced him in 1970. Alf Roberts took a shine to Maggie and asked her to become his lady when he was elected mayor in 1973. Maggie rejected and Rovers landlady Annie Walker got the job – filling the job perfectly. Alf proposed marriage to Maggie – she refused that as well. Alf was heartbroken when Maggie met and married recovering alcoholic Ron Cooke in 1974. Maggie had an aroma for luring alcoholics – first Les and then Ron! Ron got a job offer in Zaire and both he and Maggie emigrated, leaving the shop in the care of Maggie’s son Gordon. Maggie had to return when it was revealed that she was indeed the aunt of Gordon – not his mother. It was Maggie’s sister Betty Turpin who was his mother! Maggie returned to Zaire in 1975, and has not been in the UK since!

Does she deserve her position at 48? You think she should visit Betty? Leave comments!

Top 50 Coronation Street Characters

49. Brian Tilsley

In the same position as Fred, but in the 49^th position due to how the poll works out is Corrie’s mechanic during the eighties – Brian Tilsley. If you ask me, Brian’s stabbing was a breath of fresh air for him after living a miserable life with wife Gail and mother Ivy! He appeared in 1978 and soon wooed Gail Potter and within a year they were married. ‘Our Brian’ was usually the reason for countless battles between Anglican Gail and Catholic Ivy, one of Corrie’s classic feuds. When he was introduced, he was the latest Street hunk, following the footsteps of Ken, Mike and Ray. His marriage to Gail was popular during the eighties and was dubbed a super-couple. He became a father to Nick in 1980 and there was speculation if he was the father of Sarah, born in 1987. DNA results showed that Brian was indeed the father, and not his cousin Ian, who had had an affair with Gail in 1986. In 1988, the actor who played Brian, Chris Quinten, told producer Bill Podmore that he was leaving for the USA, and wished for Brian to have a recurring role. Podmore refused and Brian was killed off in early 1989 – stabbed to death outside a nightclub.

Is he at 49 for you? Leave comments!

Top 50 Coronation Street Characters

50. Fred Gee

In the last position, with no votes – one of two to receive no votes – is former Rovers barman and cellar man Fred Gee. Played by a man with the same first name, Fred Feast, Fred first appeared on the cobbles in 1975, after first wife Edna died in the warehouse fire. Soon enough, he was hired by landlady Annie Walker after the Rovers had been broken into. At first he was seen as mild mannered, but soon enough his real personality was revealed – coarse, idle and ignorant. After a fling with Vera Duckworth, he married Eunice Nuttall in 1981, in a bid to buy a pub – it failed and they were separated within a year. He was the only man amongst the Rovers staff and one asks why he worked there for such a long period due to the treatment he had from his coworkers – Annie dominated him, Bet Lynch ridiculed him and Betty Turpin didn’t hide her contempt of him – Corrie at its best! After seven years behind the bar, Fred was dismissed by Billy Walker and never graced our screens and was killed off in 1999, due to Feast’s death.

Does he deserve to be at 50? Does he deserve to be in the poll? Leave comments!