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Logo 1982

1982 was Coronation Street's twenty-third year.

Main characters[]

Ranking Character Played by Duration Number of Episodes Running total Previous year's ranking
1 Len Fairclough Peter Adamson Full year 80 1732 2
2 Elsie Tanner Patricia Phoenix Full year 75 1534 1
3 Annie Walker Doris Speed Full year 74 1666 11
4 Eddie Yeats Geoffrey Hughes Full year 71 441 15
5 Hilda Ogden Jean Alexander Full year 70 1265 8
6 Bet Lynch Julie Goodyear Full year 68 886 6
7 Ken Barlow William Roache Full year 66 1464 5
7 Ivy Tilsley Lynne Perrie Full year 66 331 13
7 Fred Gee Fred Feast Full year 66 430 2
7 Rita Fairclough Barbara Knox Full year 66 727 4
11 Mike Baldwin Johnny Briggs Full year 64 354 13
11 Mavis Riley Thelma Barlow Full year 64 549 12
13 Stan Ogden Bernard Youens Full year 62 1154 18
14 Gail Tilsley Helen Worth Full year 60 453 22
15 Emily Bishop Eileen Derbyshire Full year 56 1235 20
16 Deirdre Barlow Anne Kirkbride Full year 55 585 7
16 Betty Turpin Betty Driver Full year 55 926 15
18 Alf Roberts Bryan Mosley Full year 51 740 9
18 Marion Willis Veronica Doran From February 51 51 -
20 Albert Tatlock Jack Howarth Full year 48 1257 15
21 Sharon Gaskell Tracie Bennett March to December 45 45 -
22 Nick Tilsley Warren Jackson Full year 44 86 23
23 Vera Duckworth Elizabeth Dawn January to June, August to September and from December 36 178 25
24 Brian Tilsley Christopher Quinten January and from July 32 184 21
24 Chalkie Whitely Teddy Turner February and from July 32 32 -
26 Ida Clough Helene Palmer January to March, May to June, August to September and December 26 110 27
27 Bert Tilsley Peter Dudley January to April, July and from December 24 199 10
28 Tracy Langton Christabel Finch May to June and from August 23 203 23
29 Jack Duckworth William Tarmey April, June, September and November to December 14 24 28
29 Phyllis Pearce Jill Summers September to December 14 14 -
31 Alma Sedgewick Amanda Barrie April to June 8 12 30
32 Derek Wilton Peter Baldwin April only 3 36 -
33 Gordon Clegg Bill Kenwright January only 2 95 -
33 Eunice Gee Meg Johnson November only 2 56 19
33 Audrey Potter Sue Nicholls April only 2 48 26

Production[]

A new set for the 1980s[]

1982set royal

Queen Elizabeth II visits the new outdoor set

Bill Podmore was producer for the seventh and final consecutive year, sharing duties with Pauline Shaw from Episode 2216 to Episode 2261 and Mervyn Watson from Episode 2262 until the end of the year. After this four-week period, Watson took over as sole producer, although Podmore continued to work on the programme as its executive producer.

The new outdoor set was ready for filming by May. Costing £170,000 to build, the backlot was a scaled up version of the one at Grape Street in most respects, with the main differences being the new No.7, an alleyway between the Rovers Return and No.1, new fibreglass chimneys, and a section of Rosamund Street which would later house the Graffiti Club. The houses were proper concrete-and-brick structures but nevertheless still too small and impractical to permit shooting interior scenes there, with recording carrying on within the main Quay Street studios building. The new house, built by Len Fairclough within the programme's narrative, was designed by Peter Shuttleworth, winner of an office competition at BDP. Shuttleworth drew up plans for a modern brick house in light morter with Georgian-style windows, marking it out from the rest of the row.

The set was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on 5th May. The royal visit was organised by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire when planning the Queen's route in the Castlefield area of Manchester when she was in the city to open a new library. Escorted by Granada executives David Plowright and Sir Denis Forman, the Royal couple made their way down the length of the street, meeting and greeting Tony Warren, producer Bill Podmore, writer H.V. Kershaw, the programme's original designer Denis Parkin, and the entire cast, who were stood outside the houses where their characters either lived or worked (where applicable) and wearing their characters' best clothes. The event was shown live on ITV under the title The Queen in Coronation Street.

The Grape Street set was used for the last time in Episode 2203 (12th May 1982) (although the ginnel was seen in Episode 2207 two weeks later) and the new exterior first appeared on-screen in Episode 2210 (7th June 1982), which prominently showed the exterior of the new No.7. The last shot of the title sequence was also updated for the new set in that episode. Demolition of the old backlot began on 1st June, and the area became the entrance to the Granada Studios tour in 1988.

Fleeting faces[]

Len rita sharon

Len and Rita foster Sharon Gaskell

With the Faircloughs moving to the new modern No.7, No.9 was freed up for a new family. Teddy Turner's Chalkie Whitely, a friend of Eddie Yeats on the bins, moved to the street in July after appearing in two episodes five months earlier. With Chalkie came his grandson Craig, the first child to move to the street since 1964. The setup didn't last the year, with Craig's father Bob coming back for his son in December and Chalkie written out the following August. However, Craig's gravel-voiced grandmother Phyllis Pearce, played by Jill Summers, was kept on and her role grew over time.

Len and Rita's fostering storyline carried on with them taking in 16-year-old Sharon Gaskell, played by Tracie Bennett. Sharon was another short-lived attempt to represent the younger demographic, lasting only nine months.

Meanwhile, Eddie Yeats was given a girlfriend in the form of Veronica Doran as Marion Willis. William Tarmey's part as Jack Duckworth continued to grow, with 14 appearances and his first major storyline with Vera. None of the established cast left the programme although Christopher Quinten was absent from February to June to appear in a theatrical tour. This was written into storylines with Brian Tilsley working in Qatar for a few months. Once he was back, Brian bought into S & T Garage, later Tilsley's Garage. From this point onwards, the programme has always included a garage as one of its main workplaces. Bert Tilsley was also absent from May to November, due to Peter Dudley's legal troubles. No on-screen explanation was given for Bert's disappearance.

There were also brief appearances by Amanda Barrie as Alma Sedgewick, Peter Baldwin as Derek Wilton, Meg Johnson as Eunice Gee, Sue Nicholls as Audrey Potter and Bill Kenwright as Gordon Clegg, the latter for a storyline in which Gordon's birth father was revealed after eight years as Ted Farrell, former wartime sweetheart of Betty Turpin.

Two Scouse characters named Cyril and Wesley McGregor, played by Carl Chase and Tony Osoba respectively, were featured in Episode 2203 as guests at Eddie and Marion's engagement party. They made such an impression on writers Julian Roach and John Stevenson that a spin-off named The Brothers McGregor was later built around them, launching in 1985.

On 16th November, Granada released The Magic of Coronation Street, the first Coronation Street commercial release. It contained six episodes from the 1960s, including Episode 1, and included newly-recorded scenes in which Len Fairclough, Elsie Tanner and Annie Walker talk over old times as a means of introducing the episodes.

Viewing figures[]

1982 ratings

Ratings chart for the year

After three years of rising ratings, Coronation Street fell to an average of 14.5 million viewers, shedding nearly 1.4 million of 1981's audience in the largest single-year-drop up to that point. Every month saw a fall from the same month the year before - the first time this had occurred - with drops ranging from 0.1m in April to 2.3m in June. The highest-rated episode was Episode 2167 on 6th January, with 18.95 million viewers, the lowest peak since 1974. This was the lowest-rated year of the 1980s, and the lowest up to that point excepting 1960 and 1961 when Coronation Street wasn't fully networked.

These trends are not reflected in the programme's chart positions. 36 episodes reached number one, an increase of 4 from 1981 and the most yet outside the 1962-1965 peak, and only one episode charted outside the top 20 (Episode 2227 on 4th August, which was also the lowest-rated episode of the year).

Episodes[]

# Ep.
No.
Date Writer Director Viewing
Figures
Chart
Position
1 2166 Monday 4th January H.V. Kershaw Brian Mills 17,800,000 6
2 2167 Wednesday 6th January Adele Rose Brian Mills 18,950,000 2
3 2168 Monday 11th January John Stevenson David Carson 16,250,000 4
4 2169 Wednesday 13th January Peter Whalley David Carson 18,350,000 1
5 2170 Monday 18th January Bob Mason John Michael Phillips 16,600,000 3
6 2171 Wednesday 20th January Julian Roach John Michael Phillips 17,450,000 2
7 2172 Monday 25th January Leslie Duxbury Charles Kitchen 16,800,000 3
8 2173 Wednesday 27th January Leslie Duxbury Charles Kitchen 17,150,000 1
9 2174 Monday 1st February Tony Perrin Brian Mills 16,350,000 3
10 2175 Wednesday 3rd February Barry Hill Brian Mills 17,350,000 2
11 2176 Monday 8th February Adele Rose John Michael Phillips 16,800,000 3
12 2177 Wednesday 10th February Leslie Duxbury John Michael Phillips 17,150,000 2
13 2178 Monday 15th February John Stevenson Charles Kitchen 16,500,000 3
14 2179 Wednesday 17th February H.V. Kershaw Charles Kitchen 18,000,000 1
15 2180 Monday 22nd February H.V. Kershaw Brian Mills 16,400,000 2
16 2181 Wednesday 24th February Adele Rose Sebastian Graham-Jones 16,050,000 3
17 2182 Monday 1st March Leslie Duxbury John Michael Phillips 17,150,000 1
18 2183 Wednesday 3rd March Peter Whalley John Michael Phillips 17,000,000 3
19 2184 Monday 8th March Cliff Gerrard Charles Kitchen 16,150,000 2
20 2185 Wednesday 10th March John Stevenson Charles Kitchen 16,000,000 3
21 2186 Monday 15th March H.V. Kershaw Sebastian Graham-Jones 16,700,000 3
22 2187 Wednesday 17th March Barry Hill Sebastian Graham-Jones 17,650,000 1
23 2188 Monday 22nd March Adele Rose John Michael Phillips 16,000,000 4
24 2189 Wednesday 24th March Bob Mason John Michael Phillips 17,950,000 2
25 2190 Monday 29th March Leslie Duxbury Ken Grieve 15,750,000 3
26 2191 Wednesday 31st March Julian Roach Ken Grieve 17,250,000 2
27 2192 Monday 5th April Tony Perrin Stephen Butcher 15,400,000 3
28 2193 Wednesday 7th April H.V. Kershaw Stephen Butcher 16,900,000 1
29 2194 Monday 12th April Adele Rose Brian Mills 11,298,000 nk
30 2195 Wednesday 14th April John Stevenson Brian Mills 15,900,000 1
31 2196 Monday 19th April Leslie Duxbury John Michael Phillips 15,150,000 5
32 2197 Wednesday 21st April Julian Roach John Michael Phillips 15,950,000 2
33 2198 Monday 26th April H.V. Kershaw Gareth Jones 14,600,000 5
34 2199 Wednesday 28th April Adele Rose Gareth Jones 15,600,000 3
35 2200 Monday 3rd May Tony Perrin Jonathan Wright-Miller 13,900,000 3
36 2201 Wednesday 5th May Peter Whalley Jonathan Wright-Miller 16,150,000 1
37 2202 Monday 10th May Leslie Duxbury John Michael Phillips 14,900,000 1
38 2203 Wednesday 12th May John Stevenson John Michael Phillips 13,800,000 2
39 2204 Monday 17th May H.V. Kershaw Matthew Robinson 14,550,000 2
40 2205 Wednesday 19th May Barry Hill Matthew Robinson 15,100,000 1
41 2206 Monday 24th May Leslie Duxbury Charles Kitchen 14,900,000 1
42 2207 Wednesday 26th May John Stevenson Charles Kitchen 13,600,000 4
43 2208 Monday 31st May Cliff Gerard
Leslie Duxbury
Sebastian Graham-Jones 11,200,000 4
44 2209 Wednesday 2nd June Julian Roach Sebastian Graham-Jones 12,800,000 1
45 2210 Monday 7th June H.V. Kershaw Jonathan Wright-Miller 12,650,000 3
46 2211 Wednesday 9th June Bob Mason Jonathan Wright-Miller 12,600,000 4
47 2212 Monday 14th June Leslie Duxbury Gareth Morgan 12,550,000 2
48 2213 Wednesday 16th June Adele Rose Gareth Morgan 12,150,000 3
49 2214 Monday 21st June Peter Whalley Sebastian Graham-Jones 12,850,000 1
50 2215 Wednesday 23rd June Tony Perrin Sebastian Graham-Jones 12,050,000 2
51 2216 Monday 28th June H.V. Kershaw Eugene Ferguson 12,900,000 1
52 2217 Wednesday 30th June Adele Rose John Michael Phillips 11,900,000 2
53 2218 Monday 5th July Barry Hill Gareth Morgan 13,400,000 2
54 2219 Wednesday 7th July John Stevenson Gareth Morgan 11,350,000 3
55 2220 Monday 12th July Leslie Duxbury Sebastian Graham-Jones 14,350,000 1
56 2221 Wednesday 14th July Julian Roach Sebastian Graham-Jones 13,000,000 2
57 2222 Monday 19th July H.V. Kershaw Eugene Ferguson 12,200,000 2
58 2223 Wednesday 21st July Adele Rose Eugene Ferguson 12,850,000 1
59 2224 Monday 26th July Peter Whalley Oliver Horsbrugh 11,600,000 2
60 2225 Wednesday 28th July Leslie Duxbury Oliver Horsbrugh 11,800,000 1
61 2226 Monday 2nd August John Stevenson Jonathan Wright-Miller 11,100,000 1
62 2227 Wednesday 4th August Tony Perrin Jonathan Wright-Miller 10,950,000 2
63 2228 Monday 9th August H.V. Kershaw Eugene Ferguson 11,900,000 1
64 2229 Wednesday 11th August Bob Mason Eugene Ferguson 11,800,000 2
65 2230 Monday 16th August Barry Hill Nicholas Ferguson 12,750,000 1
66 2231 Wednesday 18th August Adele Rose Nicholas Ferguson 11,900,000 2
67 2232 Monday 23rd August Peter Whalley Charles Kitchen 12,600,000 3
68 2233 Wednesday 25th August Leslie Duxbury Charles Kitchen 12,000,000 4
69 2234 Monday 30th August H.V. Kershaw Bill Gilmour 11,900,000 1
70 2235 Wednesday 1st September Adele Rose Bill Gilmour 11,450,000 3
71 2236 Monday 6th September Leslie Duxbury Nicholas Ferguson 12,900,000 1
72 2237 Wednesday 8th September John Stevenson Nicholas Ferguson 12,050,000 3
73 2238 Monday 13th September Tony Perrin Charles Kitchen 13,300,000 1
74 2239 Wednesday 15th September Julian Roach Charles Kitchen 12,950,000 2
75 2240 Monday 20th September H.V. Kershaw Bill Gilmour 13,850,000 1
76 2241 Wednesday 22nd September Adele Rose Bill Gilmour 13,150,000 2
77 2242 Monday 27th September Peter Whalley Brian Mills 13,800,000 2
78 2243 Wednesday 29th September Leslie Duxbury Brian Mills 13,850,000 1
79 2244 Monday 4th October Barry Hill Charles Kitchen 13,150,000 2
80 2245 Wednesday 6th October Tony Perrin Charles Kitchen 14,850,000 1
81 2246 Monday 11th October H.V. Kershaw Bill Gilmour 13,700,000 2
82 2247 Wednesday 13th October Leslie Duxbury Bill Gilmour 15,550,000 1
83 2248 Monday 18th October John Stevenson Eugene Ferguson 13,700,000 5
84 2249 Wednesday 20th October Julian Roach Eugene Ferguson 15,550,000 2
85 2250 Monday 25th October Adele Rose Charles Kitchen 12,950,000 5
86 2251 Wednesday 27th October Peter Whalley Charles Kitchen 15,800,000 1
87 2252 Monday 1st November H.V. Kershaw Chris Lovett 15,700,000 1
88 2253 Wednesday 3rd November Bob Mason Chris Lovett 15,550,000 2
89 2254 Monday 8th November Peter Whalley Ken Grieve 13,600,000 3
90 2255 Wednesday 10th November John Stevenson Ken Grieve 15,650,000 1
91 2256 Monday 15th November Julian Roach Bill Gilmour 13,350,000 4
92 2257 Wednesday 17th November Tony Perrin Bill Gilmour 15,850,000 1
93 2258 Monday 22nd November Leslie Duxbury Eugene Ferguson 14,150,000 3
94 2259 Wednesday 24th November Barry Hill Eugene Ferguson 15,800,000 1
95 2260 Monday 29th November Peter Whalley John Michael Phillips 14,250,000 2
96 2261 Wednesday 1st December Tony Perrin John Michael Phillips 15,300,000 1
97 2262 Monday 6th December H.V. Kershaw Bill Gilmour 14,050,000 3
98 2263 Wednesday 8th December H.V. Kershaw Bill Gilmour 16,050,000 1
99 2264 Monday 13th December H.V. Kershaw Charles Kitchen 14,200,000 3
100 2265 Wednesday 15th December Tony Perrin Charles Kitchen 14,950,000 1
101 2266 Monday 20th December Barry Hill John Michael Phillips 13,850,000 3
102 2267 Wednesday 22nd December Leslie Duxbury John Michael Phillips 17,200,000 1
103 2268 Monday 27th December Peter Whalley Bill Gilmour 11,700,000 10
104 2269 Wednesday 29th December Adele Rose Bill Gilmour 14,350,000 2

Storylines[]

Who lives where[]

Coronation Street

Rosamund Street

Others

Coronation Street in the 1980s
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
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