Driver (Episodes 1170/1)

The unnamed Driver chauffeured Ernest Bishop from his house in Eccles to the Mawdsley Street Chapel for his wedding to Emily Nugent on 3rd April 1972.

Ernie was supposed to be escorted by best man Ken Barlow but as he had a sudden emergency with the late delivery of the buttonholes, Stan Ogden had to step in to be his companion in the car. Stan had unwittingly created a huge problem when on the stag night he had drunkenly told Ernie that Emily had jilted Leonard Swindley on their planned wedding day in July 1964 and consequently he was a bag of nerves, imagining that she would do the same to him. He told the driver again and again to take him round the block and even when 2.30pm, the time for the service, came round, he insisted on another circular trip. Stan reminded him that he had wedding on and the surly driver commented that he had a funeral to drive for in a half an hour as well.