Coronation Street in 1994

1994 was Coronation Street's thirty-fifth year.

Production
Carolyn Reynolds's last three episodes as producer were shown in January. Tony Wood, who would later produce Coronation Street from 2004 to 2006, served as a short-term replacement until Sue Pritchard took over the position beginning with Episode 3650 on 24th January. Reynolds remained with the programme as its executive producer. For the first time, both Coronation Street's producer and executive producer were women.

Writers had struggled with the character of Ivy Brennan for a number of years, leading to Ivy being led down, according to Carolyn Reynolds, "very narrow routes in terms of stories" (The Coronation Street Story, 1995). In consideration of Lynne Perrie's personal issues, including a drinking problem, Reynolds decided to dismiss Perrie from her role after 23 years. Tabloids speculated that the true reason for the sacking was that the producers were angered when Perrie dramatically changed her appearance with cosmetic surgery, getting collagen implants to create fuller lips. However, in contemporary and subsequent interviews Perrie and Reynolds denied this was a factor in her dismissal. Ivy wasn't given an exit, and left Weatherfield for a religious retreat four months after her last appearance in March.

Bettabuy was phased out, making its final appearance in October when manager Curly Watts was confronted with a file of sexual harrassment claims against him and fired. It was replaced as a continuing supermarket setting by Firman's Freezers the following year.

Location shooting took place in Normandy as Percy Sugden, Maud Grimes and Maureen Holdsworth visited the soldiers' graves on the fiftieth anniversary of D-Day. Two months later, Weatherfield's twin town Charleville made its only appearance in the programme, although no shooting in France took place to stand in for the fictional town. On the continent for a pudding contest, the mayor and mayoress Alf and Audrey Roberts were accompanied by Fred Elliott, with John Savident making his first appearance as the vain, overweight butcher.

Other actors joining the programme in 1994 included Malcolm Hebden as Norris Cole, whose initial role as the recurring nemesis of Derek Wilton continued until 1997, Ashleigh Middleton as Sophie Webster, Kevin and Sally Webster's second-born, and Tracy Brabin and Joseph Gilgun as single mother Tricia Armstrong and her mischievous 10-year-old son Jamie. Meanwhile, exits other than Lynne Perrie's included Eva Pope and John St. Ryan as Tanya Pooley and Charlie Whelan.

Anne Kirkbride returned in May after her successful treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Her first storyline upon her return saw Deirdre Barlow find love with 21-year-old Moroccan waiter Samir Rachid, with Al Nedjari joining the cast three days after leaving drama school. Dawn Acton also returned as Tracy Barlow in September after a nine-month absence, while Jill Summers returned in December after a year away.

Viewing figures
The second hour-long edition of Coronation Street was shown on 18th April. As with Episode 3406 on 6th July 1992, it was made as two separate episodes which were shown together to dent BBC One's 8.00pm offering. On 11th April, EastEnders had launched its third weekly episode, transmitted on Mondays at 8.00pm, causing ITV to employ scheduling tactics similar to those used when Eldorado began two years earlier. For the first time, Coronation Street and EastEnders were shown head-to-head (albeit with Coronation Street having a 30-minute head-start). The resulting ratings for the sections of the episodes shown opposite each other were 14.9 million viewers for Coronation Street and 8.1 million viewers for EastEnders.

Again, only omnibus figures are available for this year. Ratings fell for the second year in a row, although the average of 16.44 million viewers represented a drop of only 2.2% on 1993, compared with 1993's drop of 8.3% on 1992. Ratings were broadly in line with 1993 except in January and February when they were down by over a million viewers. June to October saw small increases on the same months in 1993.

The most-watched episode of the year was Episode 3659 on 14th February with 19.68 million viewers. This was the first year since the launch of the omnibus that Coronation Street didn't cross twenty million viewers. 46 episodes reached number one in the ratings, a drop of five from 1993.

Who lives where
Coronation Street Rosamund Street Others
 * Rovers Return Inn - Bet Gilroy and Vicky Arden. Raquel Wolstenhulme (until March and from June onwards). Charlie Whelan (from July to October).
 * 1 Coronation Street - Deirdre Barlow. Samir Rachid (from August to December).
 * 2a Coronation Street - Denise Osbourne.
 * 3 Coronation Street - Emily Bishop and Percy Sugden
 * 4 Coronation Street - Derek and Mavis Wilton. Norris Cole (March only).
 * 5 Coronation Street - Ivy Brennan (until June). Don Brennan. Nicky Platt (From August to December).
 * 6 Coronation Street - Des Barnes. Raquel Wolstenhulme (from March to June). Steve McDonald (from July to September)
 * 7 Coronation Street - Curly Watts. Andy McDonald (until September). Steve McDonald (from June to July).
 * 8 Coronation Street - Martin, Gail, Sarah Louise and David Platt. Nicky Platt (until August and from December onwards).
 * 9 Coronation Street - Jack and Vera Duckworth. Clifford Duckworth (December onwards).
 * 10a Coronation Street - Rita Sullivan.
 * 11 Coronation Street - Jim McDonald. Liz McDonald (from January onwards). Andy McDonald (from September onwards). Steve McDonald (from January to June).
 * 12 Coronation Street - Reg Holdsworth (until January and from February to March). Maureen Holdsworth (from February to March). Ken Barlow (July onwards).
 * 13 Coronation Street - Kevin, Sally and Rosie Webster. Sophie Webster (from November onwards).
 * Corner Shop flat - Ken Barlow (until July).
 * Jim's Cafe flat - Tanya Pooley (from January).
 * 37 Hillside Crescent - Betty Turpin.
 * No. 4 Montreal House, Weatherfield Quays - Mike Baldwin
 * No. 6 Montreal House, Weatherfield Quays - Steve McDonald (from September onwards).
 * 4 Gorton Close - Phyllis Pearce.
 * 5 Grasmere Drive - Alf and Audrey Roberts.
 * 7 Nightingale Street - Maud Grimes. Maureen Holdsworth (until February and from March onwards). Reg Holdsworth (from January to February and from March onwards).
 * 23 Seymour Drive, Oakhill - Fred Elliott.
 * The Queens - Liz and Steve McDonald (until January).