Bet Lynch

Elizabeth Theresa "Bet" Lynch (previously Gilroy) is a former barmaid and landlady of the Rovers Return Inn.

Bet struck out on her own at a young age, choosing a life of factory and bar work and living in digs in Weatherfield. She was out to enjoy herself and felt most at home behind a bar, where she lavished in the attention of men, although she tended only to attract men who treated her badly or used her. At sixteen she gave birth to a son, Martin, but gave him up for adoption as she wasn't ready to be a mother and the father, Joe Mason, had fled after hearing she was pregnant.

Bet first arrived in Coronation Street in 1966 for short-term work at the new PVC Factory. She returned to the area in 1970 and was recruited as a barmaid at the Rovers Return by Billy Walker. Landlady Annie Walker was initially against hiring someone she thought of as a tart, although she accepted that Bet improved custom and they soon developed an understanding. In 1985, Bet successfully applied for the tenancy and took over as landlady, but after borrowing money from club owner Alec Gilroy to keep up with payments to brewery Newton & Ridley, Bet fled to Spain, leaving the brewery and Alec in the lurch. Alec tracked her down and proposed marriage to her - offering her the opportunity to run the Rovers with him. Bet accepted and, at 47, finally became a bride.

While they were an unlikely couple, and often rowed, Bet and Alec were each what the other needed. In 1992, Alec was offered a job as master of ceremonies on a cruise ship but Bet refused to go with him. Alec left alone, and the marriage was effectively over. Bet stayed on at the Rovers until 1995 when the brewery decided to sell the pub, and Bet couldn't afford it. She left Weatherfield and eventually moved to Brighton with Alec's granddaughter Vicky McDonald, but returned in 2002 to testify in court against a former lover who had stolen from her. When she lost the case, Bet left abruptly. In 2003 she was set to marry Cecil Newton in Blackpool but he died from a heart attack before making it to the altar, and Bet returned to Brighton.

Most of Bet's key relationships were with men, and over time she became more cynical about their intentions, with a jaded outlook on life but usually able to hide any pain behind a smile. She liked to dress in a way she considered glamorous, and had a fondness for leopard print clothes and a beehive hairstyle.

1942-1969: Early Years
Bet Lynch was born to parents Patrick and Mary Lynch. Her father left when she was six months old, and although Bet had received a strict Catholic upbringing by her mother, it didn't stop her becoming Miss Weatherfield in 1955. When she was sixteen, she met a man called Joe Mason at a party. He was twelve years older than her. After getting her pregnant, Joe fled and Bet gave birth to a baby boy called Martin whom she was forced to give up for adoption. A family called the Downes adopted Martin.

Bet arrived in Coronation Street in 1966 when working at the PVC factory. She had an affair with her boss John Benjamin and gave Lucille Hewitt a black eye because of her jealousy of Lucille's speed of welding. She moved away from the area a few weeks later.

1970-1986: Behind the Bar of the Rovers Return
Bet arrived back in Coronation Street in 1970 when she bumped into Irma Barlow, who she worked with in the factory back in 1966. Later in the year, Bet was appointed a junior barmaid in the Rovers by Billy Walker, a place she would work at for the next twenty-five years.

She had relationships with many people, including well known Street residents such as Len Fairclough and Mike Baldwin. In 1975, Bet got news that her son Martin (whom she had given up for adoption when he was a baby) was a soldier and had died in a car crash. She also found out that he had tracked her down but, disgusted by her overt sexual nature, left without telling her who he was.

When Annie Walker retired in 1983, her son Billy Walker took over licence of the Rovers Return. He was involved in various dodgy dealings and screwed up frequently. He was the landlord for less than a year; he got into trouble with the brewery and the tenancy was purchased back by Newton & Ridley.

The brewery decided to appoint a manager rather than sell the licence. Sarah Ridley appointed Bet manageress. Bet was flabbergasted, but ecstatic. She moved out of the corner shop flat and into the Rovers in January 1985. Bet was involved in a fire at the Rovers in 1986, but was saved by Kevin Webster. The place was gutted but it was soon fixed up and she moved back in a few weeks later.

1987-1994: Marriage to Alec Gilroy
When the tenancy of the Rovers was being sold by the brewery in 1987, Bet couldn't come up with the money she needed to buy it, so club owner Alec Gilroy stepped in and offered her a loan. However, she couldn't pay him back and fled to Spain where she stayed for a few weeks. Alec managed to track her down and bring her back, and then propose to her. They later got married.

The marriage went better than expected, and by 1988 Bet had fallen pregnant. However, she had a miscarriage and lost the baby.

In 1991, Alec got a job on a cruise and wanted to sell the Rovers back to the brewery, but Bet didn't want to leave her pub behind, so she decided to stay and let Alec go by himself. Bet became manageress of the Rovers and continued to run the pub by herself for the next 5 years.

1994-1995: Leaving The Rovers
When the brewery decided to sell up the Rovers again, Bet couldn't come up with the large sum they demanded. She tried to ask some of her friends, especially close friend Rita Sullivan, for a loan. Rita thought about it, but had to turn it down. Bet also tried to ask step-granddaughter Vicky to borrow some money; Vicky turned down the offer, but later said she would buy Bet a house for her to stay in. Bet got upset and threw everyone out the pub. She then left in the back of a taxi in her leopard-skinned clothing, not knowing where to go next. With a twist of fate, Alec had returned to Weatherfield shortly after her departure and started working for the Duckworths when they took over the pub. Bet didn't return for Betty's wedding to Billy Williams later in the year.

1995-2003: Later Years
Bet arrived back in Coronation Street in June 2002 for Betty's retirement party, which delighted her. Bet revealed that she had made up with Vicky and had been running different pubs across the country for the last seven years, before finally settling down in Brighton. Audrey Roberts offered Bet a room at her home so she would have somewhere to sleep for the night, although Bet intended on staying for two weeks. Rita went to visit Bet the day after to try and make amends over not buying the pub for her, but Bet didn't care as she had moved on from the pub and changed, and said all Rita did was run The Kabin. This insulted Rita, who told Bet she should just push off as she had changed and was now bitter. It was later revealed that the reason Bet was back so she could testify against a former lover called Bruce who stole money from her. Mike Baldwin and Audrey went to the court to give Bet support, but she lost her court case.

In November 2003, Bet crossed paths with Liz McDonald in Blackpool. Bet got involved in Liz's problems as her husband Jim had escaped prison and was on the run. Bet was also due to get married to former Brewery boss Cecil Newton, but he later died of a heart attack. Bet returned to Brighton along with Liz.

Other Information

 * When Miss Weatherfield was too ill to open Alf Roberts' mini-market in 1985, Bet stepped in to open it as she was Miss Weatherfield 1955.

Background Information

 * Bet's absence between 1966 and 1970 was due to co-star Patricia Phoenix telling Julie Goodyear that she should try and get some more acting experience.
 * Julie Goodyear left in 1995 after winning a longtime achievement award and hoped to go onto other work. She currently works in stage production.
 * Bet's 2002 return was an attempt to boost Corrie ratings, which where getting beat by rival soap EastEnders. After only filming 2 weeks worth of episodes, Julie Goodyear pulled out due to overwork because she wasn't used to the 6 day a week filming schedule. It was originally intended for Bet Lynch to become manageress of the Rovers Return.