50th anniversary logo
In 2010, Coronation Street marked its fiftieth anniversary. The programme itself celebrated the milestone in a week of episodes transmitted between 6th and 10th December, with an hour-long live episode on 9th December.
In the lead-up to the anniversary, ITV celebrated the date in style, with a host of events, merchandise and programming. Below is an exhaustive list of 50th anniversary ephemera.
Programming[]
Coronation Street and spin-offs[]
The cast of The Road to Coronation Street
- Coronation Street - Seven editions of the soap were broadcast on the week of the anniversary, including an hour-long live episode on the anniversary itself. The anniversary storyline was a tram crashing from the viaduct onto Coronation Street, and the effect on the residents' lives.
- Gary's Army Diaries - Three-part online spin-off depicting Gary Windass's experiences in Afghanistan. Each episode lasted five minutes in duration and were released between 29th November and 3rd December 2010. An extended omnibus version was transmitted on ITV2 on 31st January 2011.
- Tram Crash News Flash - Dramatised news footage from the scene of the tram crash, featuring news anchor Alastair Stewart. Five episodes were released exclusive online, featuring "interviews" with Anna Windass, Norris Cole, Jason Grimshaw and Hayley Cropper.
- Ken: A Life on the Street - Online content featuring Ken Barlow and Simon Barlow, with archive clips interspersed with Ken reminiscing about the past in the wake of the disaster.
- Episode 1 was repeated on 6th December at 8.00pm, between that night's two new episodes. This was the episode's third showing for an anniversary.
- The Road to Coronation Street - Daran Little's award-winning drama depicting the creation of Coronation Street in 1960. Produced by ITV Studios for BBC Four, first broadcast 4th October 2010. It received a number of repeats on BBC Four, including 10.50pm on the anniversary itself.
- Coronation Street: A Knight's Tale - DVD-exclusive spin-off, featuring the characters Norris Cole, Mary Taylor, Jason Grimshaw, Rosie Webster, and the returns of Curly Watts and Reg Holdsworth. Released on 1st November 2010.
Related programmes[]
50 Years, 50 Moments title caption
- Coronation Street Uncovered: Live - Transmitted on ITV2 at 10.00pm on 6th December, this live-audience show featured interviews with actors and fans about the night's episodes, and a look at how the tram crash was done. Presented by Stephen Mulhern.
- Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments - A two-part tribute programme, counting down the soap's fifty best moments. The entries were panel chosen, with the order decided by viewers through the official website. The winner was Blanche Hunt's visit to the AA meeting from Episode 7124 on 20th July 2009. Transmitted on 7th and 9th December on ITV1.
- Coronation Street: The Big 50 - A Coronation Street quiz featuring cast members and other celebrity fans. Hosted by Paul O'Grady, this was transmitted on ITV1 at 9.00pm on Friday 10th December, immediately after the final instalment of that week's Street episodes.
- Celebrity Juice - A Coronation Street special of the popular comedy panel show, hosted by Keith Lemon. Transmitted on ITV1 at 10.00pm on Thursday 9th December.
- Come Dine With Me - Former cast members Julie Goodyear, Ken Morley, Philip Middlemiss and Tupele Dorgu compete in a Coronation Street edition of the Channel 4 culinary programme. Transmitted on Sunday 5th December.
Merchandise[]
The Golden Anniversary Collection (outside the case)
- Coronation Street - Tram Crash - All seven of the anniversary week's episodes were released on DVD in Region 2 on 21st February 2011.
- Coronation Street: Golden Anniversary Collection - A 12-disc DVD collection released on 11th October 2010, featuring episodes, archive specials, and a newly-produced countdown of the top fifty characters, spread over two discs.
- Coronation Street: Stars of the Street - Discs one to three of the aforementioned boxset, retailing on the same day.
- Fifty Years of Coronation Street - The official book for the anniversary, written by Tim Randall. Published 14th October 2010.
- 50 Years of Coronation Street: The (very) Unofficial Story - A chronological history of the making of Coronation Street, written by Sean Egan.
- An official souvenir magazine, published on 8th October 2010.
- Coronation St.: Rogues, Angels, Heroes & Fools - The Album - CD featuring songs about Coronation Street, sung (partially) by members of the cast.
- Coronation S.: Magical Memories - 2-CD collection of songs from the 1960s and 1970s, with a bonus DVD containing two episodes of Coronation Street.
- 1000-piece jigsaw, released by Falcon De Luxe.
In addition, Radio Times, the BBC-originated listings magazine celebrated the landmark with a special interview with Tony Warren and twelve different covers to choose from the programme's iconic female characters.
Events[]
The Corrie! stage play
- Corrie! - Stage play written by Jonathan Harvey, depicting the first fifty years of the programme's history in condensed form. The play premiered at the Lowry in Salford on 12th August 2010. Its initial run ended on 28th August and this was followed by a national tour in 2011.