Norris Cole

Norris Benjamin Cole was born in March 1940. His mother Eunice had sent his older half-brother Ramsay away, but he returned in 1960 after tracking her down. Eunice died the following year, which left a devastated Norris to blame Ramsay, a grudge he held against him for many years.

Norris was a salesman and married Myrtle but later left her and moved in with Mavis and Derek Wilton in the 1990s after picking him up and driving him home when Derek's car broke down. They became rivals and Norris once played a prank on Derek by kidnapping his gnome Arthur and sending ransom notes. When Derek found out after finding Arthur in Norris' cupboard, he drove him to the wrong church on Norris' wedding day to Derek's ex-wife Angela, where Derek was the best man. He attended Derek's funeral in 1997 after he died of a heart attack.

In 1999, Norris reappeared in Coronation Street and having briefly lodged with the Duckworths, he moved in with Emily Bishop and got a job at The Kabin working for Rita Sullivan. Norris became a cowardly gossip and got into scrapes, especially with serial killer Richard Hillman who intended to murder Emily. In 2009, Ramsay came back after fifty years to make amends but Norris wasn't having any of it, and Ramsay died later from a brain tumour when returning to Australia. Norris used the money from Ramsay's will to buy The Kabin as Rita was retiring.

1940-1994: Early Years
In March 1940, Norris was born to Eunice Cole. When Norris was around twenty years old, his half-brother Ramsay which he didn't know existed turned up after tracking down his mother. Eunice had later died in January 1961 and Norris ended up getting into a fight with Ramsay at the funeral and wanted nothing to do with him again. Ramsay later left. Sometime later, Norris later became a salesman and married a woman called Myrtle.

1994-1997: Arrival and rivalry with Derek
In 1994 he picked up a stranded Derek Wilton whose car had broken down, and gave him a lift up to Derek's home in Coronation Street. Norris later left his wife and moved in with Derek and Mavis, much to the disbelief of Mavis. A year later, Norris played a joke on Derek by kidnapping one of his beloved gnomes - Arthur and sending a ransom note demanding sweets. He also lured Derek to the Red Rec to meet up, and Derek was arrested when believed to be a flasher who was going around Weatherfield. When Norris asked Derek to be best man when marrying Derek's ex-wife Angela Hawthorne, Derek discovered on the stag night when taking a drunken Norris home Arthur in his cupboard. The next day when taking Norris to the wedding, Derek drove him to the wrong church as revenge towards him.

When Derek died in 1997 from a heart attack following a road rage incident, Norris attended the funeral, but Angela was unable to as she was upset.

1997-2009: Return and starting at the Kabin
Norris turned up back on Coronation Street in 1999 after splitting from Angela, and moved in briefly with the Duckworths at No. 9. However, it didn't work out after Tyrone Dobbs's dog Monica gave birth to puppies on his bed. He later took up residence at No. 3 with Emily Bishop and got himself a job in the newsagents The Kabin, working with Rita Sullivan.

In 2002, Norris got into a scrape with local killer Richard Hillman when convinced that Richard was after Emily's money and wanted her dead. He, along with Audrey Roberts, were convinced that Richard was a killer and tried to convince people in the Street. It was later found out Richard was a serial killer, and he met his demise after drowning in the canal while trying to kill his family.

Other Information

 * Mary Taylor bought Norris a wig for his 70th Birthday in 2010, however didn't wear it (only briefly trying it on in the Rovers Toilets).

Background Information

 * Norris was introduced in 1994, and appeared on a recurring basis until 1997. This was mainly due to him not living on the street and not much of a major character and was normally involved in storylines with rival Derek Wilton. The character was axed in 1997 by Brian Park and last appeared at Derek's funeral. However two years on, he was reintroduced in 1999 on a regular basis, working in the Kabin.
 * Norris wasn't Malcolm Hebden's first role in the series. Twenty years before taking the part of Norris, he played the character of Carlos in 1974. There is a touch of irony in this, as the character of Carlos proposd to Mavis and was close to marrying her, and Mavis was married to Derek Norris' rival and friend, and Norris even ended up working for Rita, Mavis' friend, in the Kabin.