Coronation Street in 1978

1978 was Coronation Street's nineteenth year.

Main characters

Ranking	Character	Played by	Duration	Number of Episodes	Running total	Previous year's ranking
1	Len Fairclough	Peter Adamson	Full year	72	1430	2
2	Bet Lynch	Julie Goodyear	Full year	69	641	3
3	Ken Barlow	William Roache	Full year	67	1218	9
3	Hilda Ogden	Jean Alexander	Full year	67	1001	3
5	Elsie Howard/Tanner	Patricia Phoenix	January to March and June to December	63	1247	1
5	Annie Walker	Doris Speed	Full year	63	1398	8
7	Mike Baldwin	Johnny Briggs	Full year	61	133	19
7	Rita Fairclough	Barbara Knox	Full year	61	467	5
7	Betty Turpin	Betty Driver	Full year	61	700	7
10	Emily Bishop	Eileen Derbyshire	Full year	59	1025	19
10	Steve Fisher	Lawrence Mullin	Full year	59	73	27
10	Gail Potter	Helen Worth	Full year	59	226	16
13	Deirdre Langton	Anne Kirkbride	Full year	58	352	12
14	Mavis Riley	Thelma Barlow	Full year	57	316	13
14	Renee Bradshaw/Roberts	Madge Hindle	Full year	57	160	15
16	Ray Langton	Neville Buswell	Until November	56	773	6
16	Fred Gee	Fred Feast	Full year	56	171	14
18	Stan Ogden	Bernard Youens	Full year	55	928	16
19	Suzie Birchall	Cheryl Murray	Full year	54	108	22
20	Alf Roberts	Bryan Mosley	Full year	50	508	9
21	Eddie Yeats	Geoffrey Hughes	Full year	49	195	9
22	Albert Tatlock	Jack Howarth	Full year	46	1070	19
23	Ena Sharples	Violet Carson	From March	41	1097	24
24	Tracy Langton	Christabel Finch	Full year	27	67	23
25	Ivy Tilsley	Lynne Perrie	January, March to April, June to July and December	19	74	26
26	Vera Duckworth	Elizabeth Dawn	January, April, June to July and December	16	40	25
27	Ida Clough	Helene Palmer	April, June to July and December	12	12	-
28	Peter Barlow	Joseph McKenna	August to October	11	46	30
29	Ernest Bishop	Stephen Hancock	January only	4	410	18
29	Blanche Hunt	Maggie Jones	November only	4	94	29
29	Billy Walker	Kenneth Farrington	May only	4	332	31
32	Derek Wilton	Peter Baldwin	April only	3	29	27
33	Brian Tilsley	Christopher Quinten	December only	1	1	-

Production

The 1978 cast, with the five remaining survivors of Episode 1 cutting the birthday cake

Bill Podmore remained producer for the third year in a row in one of Coronation Street's most drama-filled years up to this point.

Writers were faced with crafting an exit storyline for Ernest Bishop following a dispute with actor Stephen Hancock over the cast contract system. Hancock objected to the fact that senior members of the cast were paid for every episode, and others only for the ones they appeared in, and threatened to resign unless Granada moved to a fairer system. When producers did not oblige him, he carried out his threat. As writers could not think of a believable way to have the Bishops split up, they agreed that Ernest had to die. In January, Ernie became the first major Coronation Street character to be murdered, shot during a bungled wages snatch at Baldwin's Casuals. The storyline, in particular the depiction of Emily's grief, drew wide acclaim, and according to writer John Stevenson elevated the critical standing of Coronation Street as a whole (50 Years of Coronation Street: The (very) Unofficial Story, JR Books, 2010).

Neville Buswell also left after ten years playing Ray Langton. Buswell had decided to quit acting and move abroad. Where the Langtons were concerned, Anne Kirkbride was told that Deirdre and Tracy were being written out with Ray, as writers felt there were enough young women in the cast. They changed their minds and decided to explore Deirdre's life as a single mother after Buswell pleaded for Kirkbride to keep her job. In November, Ray left the street for Holland, going alone to a country that had been supposed to a new start for the entire family following Ray's affair with waitress Janice Stubbs. Blanche Hunt was seen during Ray's departure episodes, her only appearances that year.

In one year, aside from losing his business partner, Len Fairclough lost his seat on the council for being drunk and disorderly, and nearly lost his business. The Kabin was also forced to undergo changes when Dawson's Cafe opened next door, and owner Joe Dawson shopped his rival to the council for not having customer toilets. The cafe - a permanent set addition - was run by Dawson for a while until Emily Bishop took over as manager. Meanwhile, the Kabin's cafe section was closed down and transformed into a record shop.

Viewers were introduced to factory loudmouth Ida Clough, who was a semi-regular for ten years appearing in factory-related stories, and, in the last episode of the year, young biker Brian Tilsley, the first sign of an increased role for Lynne Perrie's character Ivy Tilsley which would occur in 1979. Short visits were also made by Derek Wilton, Peter Barlow, again played by Joseph McKenna, and Billy Walker, the latter for a storyline in which Annie Walker risked losing the Rovers due to a takeover at Newton & Ridley which ultimately didn't happen. Both of Annie's children returned to her side for the first time since 1963, although Joan Davies was played by Dorothy White and not the original actress June Barry.

Once again, Coronation Street had no episode on Christmas Day even though it fell on a Monday.

Viewing figures

Ratings chart for the year

Ratings fell from 1977 in all but the last four months of the year, with Spring ratings over two million viewers down on the previous year. The year as a whole averaged 15.01 million viewers, the second-lowest average of the decade after 1972 and an 870k fall from 1977. Three episodes reached twenty million viewers - two in January, following Ernie Bishop's murder, and another, Episode 1871 on 20th December, which had an audience of 20.44 million viewers and was the highest rated episode of the year.

Eight episodes reached the top of the weekly ratings chart, a drop from nine the year before. After the success of the first half of 1977, Coronation Street's ratings were almost back to 1972 levels.

Episodes

#	Ep. No.	Date	Writer	Director	Viewing Figures	Chart Position
1	1770	Monday 2nd January	H.V. Kershaw	George Spenton-Foster	13,493,000	19
2	1771	Wednesday 4th January	Brian Finch	George Spenton-Foster	18,858,000	1
3	1772	Monday 9th January	John Stevenson	Alan Grint	17,840,000	3
4	1773	Wednesday 11th January	Julian Roach	Alan Grint	20,241,000	1
5	1774	Monday 16th January	Janey Preger	George Spenton-Foster	17,514,000	3
6	1775	Wednesday 18th January	Leslie Duxbury	George Spenton-Foster	20,386,000	2
7	1776	Monday 23rd January	Leslie Duxbury	Jeremy Summers	17,300,000	3
8	1777	Wednesday 25th January	Adele Rose	Jeremy Summers	18,450,000	2
9	1778	Monday 30th January	Barry Hill	Jonathan Wright-Miller	17,300,000	2
10	1779	Wednesday 1st February	H.V. Kershaw	Jonathan Wright-Miller	16,450,000	10
11	1780	Monday 6th February	Kay McManus	Bill Gilmour	18,000,000	5
12	1781	Wednesday 8th February	John Stevenson	Bill Gilmour	18,050,000	4
13	1782	Monday 13th February	Adele Rose	Oliver Horsbrugh	18,100,000	2
14	1783	Wednesday 15th February	Leslie Duxbury	Oliver Horsbrugh	16,750,000	6
15	1784	Monday 20th February	Julian Roach	Stephen Butcher	18,450,000	2
16	1785	Wednesday 22nd February	Brian Finch	Stephen Butcher	17,750,000	4
17	1786	Monday 27th February	H.V. Kershaw	Bill Gilmour	17,750,000	4
18	1787	Wednesday 1st March	Barry Hill	Bill Gilmour	17,900,000	3
19	1788	Monday 6th March	John Stevenson	Charles Sturridge	16,950,000	5
20	1789	Wednesday 8th March	Brian Finch	Oliver Horsbrugh	15,900,000	12
21	1790	Monday 13th March	H.V. Kershaw	Stephen Butcher	17,500,000	5
22	1791	Wednesday 15th March	Leslie Duxbury	Stephen Butcher	16,350,000	7
23	1792	Monday 20th March	Adele Rose	Quentin Lawrence	18,300,000	2
24	1793	Wednesday 22nd March	Julian Roach	Quentin Lawrence	17,950,000	4
25	1794	Monday 27th March	John Stevenson	Charles Sturridge	13,800,000	13
26	1795	Wednesday 29th March	Adele Rose	Charles Sturridge	16,550,000	2
27	1796	Monday 3rd April	Leslie Duxbury	Colin Richards	14,950,000	9
28	1797	Wednesday 5th April	Julian Roach	Colin Richards	17,450,000	3
29	1798	Monday 10th April	H.V. Kershaw	Quentin Lawrence	15,250,000	8
30	1799	Wednesday 12th April	Brian Finch	Quentin Lawrence	17,000,000	4
31	1800	Monday 17th April	Adele Rose	Charles Sturridge	14,550,000	10
32	1801	Wednesday 19th April	Julian Roach	Charles Sturridge	14,000,000	16
33	1802	Monday 24th April	Leslie Duxbury	Philip Draycott	14,550,000	11
34	1803	Wednesday 26th April	John Stevenson	Philip Draycott	17,400,000	3
35	1804	Monday 1st May	H.V. Kershaw	Brian Mills	11,861,000	n/k
36	1805	Wednesday 3rd May	Brian Finch	Brian Mills	15,365,000	4
37	1806	Monday 8th May	John Stevenson	Charles Sturridge	14,533,000	7
38	1807	Wednesday 10th May	Kay McManus	Charles Sturridge	15,787,000	4
39	1808	Monday 15th May	H.V. Kershaw	Stephen Butcher	13,557,000	4
40	1809	Wednesday 17th May	Adele Rose	Stephen Butcher	13,606,000	3
41	1810	Monday 22nd May	Julian Roach	Ken Grieve	13,280,000	4
42	1811	Wednesday 24th May	Leslie Duxbury	Ken Grieve	14,051,000	2
43	1812	Monday 29th May	Leslie Duxbury	Charles Sturridge	10,550,000	20
44	1813	Wednesday 31st May	H.V. Kershaw	Charles Sturridge	11,800,000	8
45	1814	Monday 5th June	Barry Hill	Stephen Butcher	12,300,000	3
46	1815	Wednesday 7th June	John Stevenson	Stephen Butcher	11,950,000	8
47	1816	Monday 12th June	Adele Rose	Ken Grieve	12,850,000	4
48	1817	Wednesday 14th June	Brian Finch	Ken Grieve	11,450,000	15
49	1818	Monday 19th June	Paula Milne	Oliver Horsbrugh	12,100,000	8
50	1819	Wednesday 21st June	H.V. Kershaw	Oliver Horsbrugh	13,250,000	5
51	1820	Monday 26th June	Leslie Duxbury	Charles Sturridge	12,450,000	6
52	1821	Wednesday 28th June	Brian Finch	Charles Sturridge	13,000,000	4
53	1822	Monday 3rd July	John Stevenson	Richard Stroud	12,750,000	8
54	1823	Wednesday 5th July	Barry Hill	Richard Stroud	13,900,000	3
55	1824	Monday 10th July	Brian Finch	Oliver Horsbrugh	12,200,000	6
56	1825	Wednesday 12th July	H.V. Kershaw	Oliver Horsbrugh	13,050,000	2
57	1826	Monday 17th July	Paula Milne	Philip Draycott	11,100,000	10
58	1827	Wednesday 19th July	John Stevenson	Philip Draycott	11,650,000	6
59	1828	Monday 24th July	Adele Rose	Charles Sturridge	11,250,000	3
60	1829	Wednesday 26th July	Leslie Duxbury	Charles Sturridge	10,250,000	10
61	1830	Monday 31st July	John Stevenson	Alan Bromly	11,700,000	3
62	1831	Wednesday 2nd August	Leslie Duxbury	Alan Bromly	12,000,000	2
63	1832	Monday 7th August	Julian Roach	Bill Gilmour	12,250,000	3
64	1833	Wednesday 9th August	Adele Rose	Bill Gilmour	11,850,000	4
65	1834	Monday 14th August	H.V. Kershaw	Quentin Lawrence	12,700,000	2
66	1835	Wednesday 16th August	H.V. Kershaw	Quentin Lawrence	12,550,000	3
67	1836	Monday 21st August	Adele Rose	Charles Sturridge	10,150,000	20
68	1837	Wednesday 23rd August	Ben Steed	Charles Sturridge	11,500,000	6
69	1838	Monday 28th August	H.V. Kershaw	John Black	9,937,000	n/k
70	1839	Wednesday 30th August	Leslie Duxbury	John Black	13,257,000	3
71	1840	Monday 4th September	Julian Roach	Alan Bromly	13,299,000	11
72	1841	Wednesday 6th September	John Stevenson	Alan Bromly	13,065,000	14
73	1842	Monday 11th September	John Stevenson	Philip Draycott	12,943,000	9
74	1843	Wednesday 13th September	Barry Hill	Philip Draycott	12,783,000	12
75	1844	Monday 18th September	H.V. Kershaw	Laurence Moody	14,294,000	4
76	1845	Wednesday 20th September	Leslie Duxbury	Laurence Moody	11,782,000	19
77	1846	Monday 25th September	Julian Roach	Alan Bromly	15,350,000	4
78	1847	Wednesday 27th September	Paula Milne	Alan Bromly	12,850,000	15
79	1848	Monday 2nd October	H.V. Kershaw	Matthew Robinson	16,650,000	1
80	1849	Wednesday 4th October	Kay McManus	Matthew Robinson	13,700,000	10
81	1850	Monday 9th October	Leslie Duxbury	Laurence Moody	17,800,000	1
82	1851	Wednesday 11th October	Adele Rose	Laurence Moody	15,050,000	7
83	1852	Monday 16th October	Barry Hill	Jeremy Summers	17,700,000	2
84	1853	Wednesday 18th October	Julian Roach	Jeremy Summers	14,550,000	9
85	1854	Monday 23rd October	H.V. Kershaw	Alan Bromly	18,200,000	1
86	1855	Wednesday 25th October	John Stevenson	Alan Bromly	14,650,000	7
87	1856	Monday 30th October	Ben Steed	Philip Draycott	15,100,000	1
88	1857	Wednesday 1st November	Leslie Duxbury	Philip Draycott	14,150,000	6
89	1858	Monday 6th November	Kay McManus	Jeremy Summers	16,500,000	5
90	1859	Wednesday 8th November	Paula Milne	Jeremy Summers	14,800,000	13
91	1860	Monday 13th November	Julian Roach	Alan Bromly	17,300,000	2
92	1861	Wednesday 15th November	Leslie Duxbury	Alan Bromly	16,900,000	6
93	1862	Monday 20th November	H.V. Kershaw	Laurence Moody	18,850,000	1
94	1863	Wednesday 22nd November	Leslie Duxbury	Laurence Moody	17,200,000	5
95	1864	Monday 27th November	John Stevenson	Richard Stroud	18,585,000	2
96	1865	Wednesday 29th November	Barry Hill	Richard Stroud	17,069,000	8
97	1866	Monday 4th December	H.V. Kershaw	Jeremy Summers	18,593,000	1
98	1867	Wednesday 6th December	Barry Hill	Jeremy Summers	16,823,000	3
99	1868	Monday 11th December	John Stevenson	Alan Bromly	18,238,000	1
100	1869	Wednesday 13th December	Leslie Duxbury	Alan Bromly	15,384,000	6
101	1870	Monday 18th December	Adele Rose	Richard Stroud	12,875,000	n/k
102	1871	Wednesday 20th December	Julian Roach	Richard Stroud	20,443,000	6
103	1872	Wednesday 27th December	John Stevenson	Jeremy Summers	15,350,000	8

Who lives where

Coronation Street

• Rovers Return Inn - Annie Walker and Fred Gee.
• 1 Coronation Street - Albert Tatlock and Ken Barlow. Peter Barlow (from August to October).
• 3 Coronation Street - Ernest (until January) and Emily Bishop.
• 5 Coronation Street - Ray (until November), Deirdre and Tracy Langton.
• 9 Coronation Street - Len and Rita Fairclough.
• 11 Coronation Street - Elsie Tanner, Gail Potter and Suzie Birchall.
• 13 Coronation Street - Hilda and Stan Ogden.
• Corner Shop (No.15) - Renee Bradshaw. Alf Roberts (from April).
• Corner Shop bedsit - Bet Lynch.
• Community Centre flat - Ena Sharples.

Rosamund Street

• The Kabin flat - Mavis Riley (from May).

Others

• Brookhouse Hotel - Mike Baldwin (Long-term room).
• 37 Hillside Crescent - Betty Turpin.
• Inkerman Street - Ivy Tilsley, Vera Duckworth.
• Omdurman Street - Alf Roberts (until April).