Coronation Street in 1973

1973 was Coronation Street's fourteenth year.

Main characters

Ranking	Character	Played by	Duration	Number of Episodes	Running total	Previous year's ranking
1	Len Fairclough	Peter Adamson	Full year except for September	79	1037	1
2	Betty Turpin	Betty Driver	Full year	78	328	11
3	Bet Lynch	Julie Goodyear	Full year	74	256	12
4	Ray Langton	Neville Buswell	Full year	73	426	3
5	Jerry Booth	Graham Haberfield	Full year	71	526	6
6	Hilda Ogden	Jean Alexander	Full year	70	612	9
7	Ken Barlow	William Roache	Full year	69	890	12
7	Rita Littlewood	Barbara Mullaney	Full year	69	122	21
7	Annie Walker	Doris Speed	Full year	69	1063	6
10	Elsie Howard	Patricia Phoenix	Until October	64	1042	2
10	Stan Ogden	Bernard Youens	Full year	64	639	16
10	Norma Ford	Diana Davies	Full year	64	120	17
13	Alf Roberts	Bryan Mosley	Full year	61	200	20
14	Lucille Hewitt	Jennifer Moss	Full year	60	716	14
14	Alan Howard	Alan Browning	Until November	60	253	8
14	Albert Tatlock	Jack Howarth	Full year	60	812	22
17	Emily Bishop	Eileen Derbyshire	Full year except for June	59	732	10
17	Minnie Caldwell	Margot Bryant	Full year	59	876	18
19	Maggie Clegg	Irene Sutcliffe	Full year	57	371	5
20	Ernest Bishop	Stephen Hancock	Full year	56	172	14
20	Ena Sharples	Violet Carson	Full year	56	934	18
22	Mavis Riley	Thelma Barlow	From June	33	36	26
23	Deirdre Hunt	Anne Kirkbride	March to June and from September	32	33	29
24	Billy Walker	Kenneth Farrington	Until May	31	229	4
25	Janet Reid/Barlow	Judith Barker	From September	21	34	-
26	Peter Barlow	Linus Roache	October only	3	24	-
26	Susan Barlow	Wendy Jane Walker	October only	3	25	-
28	Tricia Hopkins	Kathy Jones	September only	2	2	-
29	Vera Hopkins	Kathy Staff	September only	1	1	-

Production

The residents are evacuated to the Community Centre as a gas leak leaves one resident in hospital, another in hot water and a third improperly dressed...

Eric Prytherch's uninterrupted two-year run as producer made 1973 the first year in which the same person was in charge from beginning to end. Meanwhile, after stepping down from his executive producer role at the beginning of the year, H.V. Kershaw continued as a staff writer until his retirement in 1988.

The Kabin made its debut in the programme in June, providing the residents with a regular newsagent and cafe. An investment of Len Fairclough's, Rita Littlewood was installed as manageress, who then hired Mavis Riley as assistant, with Thelma Barlow following up her brief appearances in 1971 and 1972 for a longer stint. Rita's brassiness, played against Mavis's dithering eccentricity, would form one of the programme's best-loved and most enduring double acts.

Anne Kirkbride and Judith Barker also joined the regular cast, with Barker's character Janet Reid marrying Ken Barlow off-screen, and Kathy Jones and Kathy Staff appeared fleetingly as Tricia Hopkins and her mother Vera in September. Departures included Diana Davies as Norma Ford and Patricia Phoenix as Elsie Howard, both of which occurred off-screen. Phoenix quit the series while on holiday, claiming to be bored with her role, and did not return to record exit scenes.

Viewing figures

Ratings chart for the year

Episode 1331, shown on 17th October, was viewed in 8,250,000 homes (corresponding to 18.15 million viewers) and was the highest rated episode of the year. The yearly average was 15.22 million viewers, a rise of 400,000 viewers on the decade-low in 1972. Seven months rose year-on-year, with increases of nearly two million viewers in July and August, and all but one of the drops were under a million viewers.

This bounce from the 1972 low was also reflected in the programme's chart positions, with seven episodes reaching number one. For the rest of the decade, Coronation Street would chart similarly, with no year seeing more than a dozen episodes reach number one until 1980.

Daran Little's 40 Years of Coronation Street, the show's official book for the 40th anniversary, states incorrectly that the most-watched episode this year was Episode 1264 with 8.3 million viewers. The true rating for this episode was 7.1 million homes / 15.62 million viewers, and as already stated, it was not the most-watched episode of the year (in fact, the quoted figure is less than that of the lowest-rated episode of the year, Episode 1280 with 10.74 million viewers).

Episodes

#	Ep. No.	Date	Writer	Director	Viewing Figures (homes/ viewers)	Chart Position
1	1248	Monday 1st January	Leslie Duxbury	Nick Burrell-Davis	5,752,000 12,654,400	n/k
2	1249	Wednesday 3rd January	Susan Pleat	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,125,000 15,675,000	6
3	1250	Monday 8th January	Julian Roach	Joe Boyer	7,281,000 16,018,200	7
4	1251	Wednesday 10th January	Barry Hill	Joe Boyer	7,194,000 15,826,800	8
5	1252	Monday 15th January	Bernard Aspen	Oliver Horsbrugh	7,154,000 15,738,800	8
6	1253	Wednesday 17th January	Adele Rose	Oliver Horsbrugh	7,115,000 15,653,000	10
7	1254	Monday 22nd January	Brian Finch	June Wyndham Davies	7,182,000 15,800,400	6
8	1255	Wednesday 24th January	Leslie Duxbury	June Wyndham Davies	7,057,000 15,525,400	9
9	1256	Monday 29th January	Susan Pleat	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,000,000 15,400,000	10
10	1257	Wednesday 31st January	Julian Roach	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,350,000 16,170,000	6
11	1258	Monday 5th February	Julian Roach	Joe Boyer	7,150,000 15,730,000	8
12	1259	Wednesday 7th February	Adele Rose	Joe Boyer	7,300,000 16,060,000	7
13	1260	Monday 12th February	Susan Pleat	June Wyndham Davies	7,500,000 16,500,000	6
14	1261	Wednesday 14th February	Kay McManus	June Wyndham Davies	7,450,000 16,390,000	7
15	1262	Monday 19th February	Adele Rose	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,300,000 16,060,000	8
16	1263	Wednesday 21st February	Brian Finch	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,350,000 16,170,000	7
17	1264	Monday 26th February	Julian Roach	Joe Boyer	7,100,000 15,620,000	10
18	1265	Wednesday 28th February	Leslie Duxbury	Joe Boyer	7,600,000 16,720,000	4
19	1266	Monday 5th March	Brian Finch	June Wyndham Davies	7,150,000 15,730,000	8
20	1267	Wednesday 7th March	Leslie Duxbury	June Wyndham Davies	7,450,000 16,390,000	5
21	1268	Monday 12th March	Susan Pleat	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,200,000 15,840,000	5
22	1269	Wednesday 14th March	Julian Roach	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,000,000 15,400,000	6
23	1270	Monday 19th March	Barry Hill	Joe Boyer	7,200,000 15,840,000	3
24	1271	Wednesday 21st March	Bernard Aspen	Joe Boyer	7,050,000 15,510,000	5
25	1272	Monday 26th March	H.V. Kershaw	June Wyndham Davies	7,090,000 15,598,000	8
26	1273	Wednesday 28th March	H.V. Kershaw	June Wyndham Davies	7,521,000 16,546,200	4
27	1274	Monday 2nd April	Leslie Duxbury	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,358,000 16,187,600	6
28	1275	Wednesday 4th April	Barry Hill	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,481,000 16,458,200	5
29	1276	Monday 9th April	Julian Roach	Joe Boyer	7,074,000 15,562,800	5
30	1277	Wednesday 11th April	Brian Finch	Joe Boyer	7,405,000 16,291,000	3
31	1278	Monday 16th April	Kay McManus	Gerry Mill	7,044,000 15,496,800	5
32	1279	Wednesday 18th April	Brian Finch	Gerry Mill	7,366,000 16,205,200	4
33	1280	Monday 23rd April	Susan Pleat	Alan Grint	4,884,000 10,744,800	n/k
34	1281	Wednesday 25th April	Leslie Duxbury	Alan Grint	7,111,000 15,644,200	3
35	1282	Monday 30th April	Julian Roach	Joe Boyer	7,350,000 16,170,000	4
36	1283	Wednesday 2nd May	H.V. Kershaw	Joe Boyer	7,350,000 16,170,000	4
37	1284	Monday 7th May	Bernard Aspen	Gerry Mill	6,950,000 15,290,000	6
38	1285	Wednesday 9th May	Brian Finch	Gerry Mill	7,800,000 17,160,000	3
39	1286	Monday 14th May	Susan Pleat	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,050,000 15,510,000	9
40	1287	Wednesday 16th May	Julian Roach	Nick Burrell-Davis	7,150,000 15,730,000	8
41	1288	Monday 21st May	Leslie Duxbury	Oliver Horsbrugh Quentin Lawrence	6,900,000 15,180,000	6
42	1289	Wednesday 23rd May	H.V. Kershaw	Oliver Horsbrugh Quentin Lawrence	7,500,000 16,500,000	3
43	1290	Monday 28th May	H.V. Kershaw	Alan Grint	5,300,000 11,660,000	18
44	1291	Wednesday 30th May	Barry Hill	Alan Grint	6,700,000 14,740,000	2
45	1292	Monday 4th June	Leslie Duxbury	Nick Burrell-Davis	6,450,000 14,190,000	6
46	1293	Wednesday 6th June	Julian Roach	Nick Burrell-Davis	5,800,000 12,760,000	11
47	1294	Monday 11th June	Brian Finch	Quentin Lawrence	6,100,000 13,420,000	10
48	1295	Wednesday 13th June	H.V. Kershaw	Quentin Lawrence	6,300,000 13,860,000	7
49	1296	Monday 18th June	H.V. Kershaw	Alan Grint	5,750,000 12,650,000	14
50	1297	Wednesday 20th June	Brian Finch	Alan Grint	7,000,000 15,400,000	3
51	1298	Monday 25th June	Barry Hill	Nick Burrell-Davis	6,000,000 13,200,000	10
52	1299	Wednesday 27th June	Julian Roach	Nick Burrell-Davis	6,400,000 14,080,000	6
53	1300	Monday 2nd July	Leslie Duxbury	Quentin Lawrence	6,050,000 13,310,000	7
54	1301	Wednesday 4th July	H.V. Kershaw	Quentin Lawrence	6,200,000 13,640,000	4
55	1302	Monday 9th July	H.V. Kershaw	Alan Grint	6,400,000 14,080,000	3
56	1303	Wednesday 11th July	Bernard Aspen	Alan Grint	6,550,000 14,410,000	2
57	1304	Monday 16th July	Susan Pleat	Nick Burrell-Davis	6,450,000 14,190,000	4
58	1305	Wednesday 18th July	Julian Roach	Nick Burrell-Davis	6,900,000 15,180,000	7
59	1306	Monday 23rd July	Leslie Duxbury	Oliver Horsbrugh	6,300,000 13,860,000	2
60	1307	Wednesday 25th July	Leslie Duxbury	Oliver Horsbrugh	6,550,000 14,410,000	1
61	1308	Monday 30th July	H.V. Kershaw	Stephen Butcher	6,200,000 13,640,000	3
62	1309	Wednesday 1st August	Adele Rose	Stephen Butcher	6,300,000 13,860,000	1
63	1310	Monday 6th August	Brian Finch	Nick Burrell-Davis	6,550,000 14,410,000	2
64	1311	Wednesday 8th August	Malcolm Lynch	Nick Burrell-Davis	6,800,000 14,960,000	1
65	1312	Monday 13th August	Julian Roach	Oliver Horsbrugh	6,450,000 14,190,000	1
66	1313	Wednesday 15th August	Leslie Duxbury	Oliver Horsbrugh	6,300,000 13,860,000	2
67	1314	Monday 20th August	H.V. Kershaw	Stephen Butcher	6,950,000 15,290,000	2
68	1315	Wednesday 22nd August	Barry Hill	Stephen Butcher	7,100,000 15,620,000	1
69	1316	Monday 27th August	Leslie Duxbury	Quentin Lawrence	4,900,000 10,780,000	20
70	1317	Wednesday 29th August	H.V. Kershaw	Quentin Lawrence	7,650,000 16,830,000	1
71	1318	Monday 3rd September	Julian Roach	Oliver Horsbrugh	6,800,000 14,960,000	6
72	1319	Wednesday 5th September	Bernard Aspen	Oliver Horsbrugh	7,300,000 16,060,000	3
73	1320	Monday 10th September	Susan Pleat	Stephen Butcher	6,950,000 15,290,000	4
74	1321	Wednesday 12th September	Julian Roach	Stephen Butcher	6,850,000 15,070,000	5
75	1322	Monday 17th September	Leslie Duxbury	Quentin Lawrence	7,050,000 15,510,000	3
76	1323	Wednesday 19th September	Kay McManus	Quentin Lawrence	6,900,000 15,180,000	4
77	1324	Monday 24th September	Barry Hill	June Wyndham Davies	6,900,000 15,180,000	5
78	1325	Wednesday 26th September	H.V. Kershaw	June Wyndham Davies	7,050,000 15,510,000	3
79	1326	Monday 1st October	H.V. Kershaw	Stephen Butcher	6,800,000 14,960,000	4
80	1327	Wednesday 3rd October	Malcolm Lynch	Stephen Butcher	7,350,000 16,170,000	1
81	1328	Monday 8th October	Brian Finch	Bill Gilmour	7,050,000 15,510,000	4
82	1329	Wednesday 10th October	Adele Rose	Bill Gilmour	7,150,000 15,730,000	2
83	1330	Monday 15th October	Julian Roach	Alan Grint	7,100,000 15,620,000	4
84	1331	Wednesday 17th October	Leslie Duxbury	Alan Grint	8,250,000 18,150,000	2
85	1332	Monday 22nd October	Barry Hill	June Wyndham Davies	7,150,000 15,730,000	2
86	1333	Wednesday 24th October	Brian Finch	June Wyndham Davies	6,900,000 15,180,000	6
87	1334	Monday 29th October	Bernard Aspen	Bill Gilmour	7,150,000 15,730,000	3
88	1335	Wednesday 31st October	H.V. Kershaw	Bill Gilmour	7,300,000 16,060,000	2
89	1336	Monday 5th November	Leslie Duxbury	Alan Grint	6,900,000 15,180,000	7
90	1337	Wednesday 7th November	Kay McManus	Alan Grint	7,350,000 16,170,000	2
91	1338	Monday 12th November	Julian Roach	Stephen Butcher	7,300,000 16,060,000	2
92	1339	Wednesday 14th November	Brian Finch	Stephen Butcher	6,400,000 14,080,000	15
93	1340	Monday 19th November	H.V. Kershaw	Bill Gilmour	7,300,000 16,060,000	8
94	1341	Wednesday 21st November	Leslie Duxbury	Bill Gilmour	7,600,000 16,720,000	4
95	1342	Monday 26th November	Bernard Aspen	Roland Joffe	7,117,000 15,657,400	12
96	1343	Wednesday 28th November	Adele Rose	Roland Joffe	7,634,000 16,794,800	3
97	1344	Monday 3rd December	H.V. Kershaw	Stephen Butcher	7,065,000 15,543,000	9
98	1345	Wednesday 5th December	Bernard Aspen	Stephen Butcher	7,763,000 17,078,600	3
99	1346	Monday 10th December	Brian Finch	Bill Gilmour	7,048,000 15,505,600	8
100	1347	Wednesday 12th December	Susan Pleat	Bill Gilmour	7,644,000 16,816,800	4
101	1348	Monday 17th December	Leslie Duxbury	Roland Joffe	7,391,000 16,260,200	5
102	1349	Wednesday 19th December	Adele Rose	Roland Joffe	8,034,000 17,674,800	3
103	1350	Monday 24th December	H.V. Kershaw	Stephen Butcher	5,852,000 12,874,400	12
104	1351	Wednesday 26th December	Julian Roach	Stephen Butcher	5,172,000 11,378,400	n/k
105	1352	Monday 31st December	Kay McManus	Bill Gilmour	6,300,000 13,860,000	20

Who lives where

Coronation Street

• Rovers Return Inn - Annie Walker. Lucille Hewitt (January and October to December). Billy Walker (until June). Glyn Thomas (June to July).
• 1 Coronation Street - Albert Tatlock and Ken Barlow. Janet Barlow (from October onwards).
• 3 Coronation Street - Ernest and Emily Bishop.
• 5 Coronation Street - Minnie Caldwell. Ena Sharples (from December onwards).
• 9 Coronation Street - Len Fairclough, Ray Langton and Jerry Booth.
• 11 Coronation Street - Elsie and Alan Howard (until October). Lucille Hewitt (January to October).
• 13 Coronation Street - Stan and Hilda Ogden.
• Corner Shop (No.15) - Maggie Clegg.
• Corner Shop flat (No.15a) - Norma Ford (until December).
• Community Centre flat - Ena Sharples (until December).

Rosamund Street

• The Kabin flat - Rita Littlewood (from June onwards).

Victoria Street

• 20 Victoria Street - Deirdre Hunt.
• 44 Victoria Street - Bet Lynch.

Others

• 37 Hillside Crescent - Cyril and Betty Turpin
• 23 Jubilee Terrace - Mavis Riley.