Andy Rowlands was one of Brian Tilsley’s friends and fulfilled the role of best man at his wedding to Gail Potter in November 1979. At the previous evening's stag night, Andy got drunk although typically paid for very few of the drinks himself. Although he was badly hung-over the next morning, he quickly recovered and acquitted himself well at the service, although he didn’t meet Annie Walker’s standards as the master of ceremonies at the reception afterwards at the Rovers. Hearing that, by supposed tradition, the Best Man and the Bridesmaid are supposed to get together, he asked Brian for tips about how to handle Suzie Birchall and was kidded on that she liked football and its players. He continued to bore her for the rest of the night on the subject. He also gave his speech which included a somewhat risqué poem from one of Bert’s relatives in the telegram, must to Ivy’s disgust.
In August 1980 he helped Brian and Gail move into their new house at 5 Buxton Close, causing them to suddenly realise that they’d never asked Bert and Ivy if they could take the bed with them. He gently teased them over the size of the house and intervened when they had their first argument as tenants over whether their next purchase would be a new carpet or a colour television.
In January 1981 he was newly-born Nick Tilsley’s godfather at his christening, along with Elsie Tanner as Godmother. After meeting Brian in the Rovers, they went home where he was introduced to the baby whose intended name at that point was “David Daniel Tilsley”. Andy pointed out that meant initials of DDT, causing a radical rethink of the name which then became Nicholas Paul. After the ceremony at St. Boniface Church, he came back to 5 Coronation Street for the party where he was horrified to discover that he had to make another speech, this time in his role as Godfather. He proceeded to do so with a series of terrible jokes.