Episode 1559 (24th December 1975)

Plot[]

The audience of children assemble in the community centre. Rita apologises to Hilda for being sharp with her. Hilda's delighted when Trevor turns up with flowers, saying he's driven over specially to watch her. Rita and Mavis start to suffer nerves. Tricia's black eye still shows through her make-up. Trevor goes for a drink in the Rovers with Ken and tells him that Irma still lives in Llandudno and that Polly is expecting. Betty overhears. The cast wait for curtain up. Trevor rings Polly and tells her that he's not had the chance to ask his mother what he wants yet. Tricia refuses to wish Deirdre luck. As the panto starts, Deirdre refuses to remove her glasses so that she can see properly. Bet performs When I Fall in Love but mimes to Rita's singing. She gets annoyed when Rita deliberately changes the tempo of the tune. Ken and Ray bring over a crate of ales for the cast and help themselves to a drink while the performance continues. Tricia isn't happy when Len makes an ad lib on stage, poking fun at her black eye. Chatting in the dressing room, an upset Hilda discovers from Betty that Polly is expecting. Bet threatens an amused Rita not to show her up again. Betty's props fail her, causing the children to laugh in derision. Tricia sings All I Have to Do Is Dream. Hilda looks for Trevor. Tricia refuses to cooperate with Deirdre in putting her foot up to fit the slipper on. The panto ends with the cast singing Happy Days Are Here Again while Albert swigs from his hip flask on stage. Trevor tells Hilda that Polly has toxaemia and has to go into hospital early for a month; this is why they want her to stay at Christmas - to look after Damian. Hilda realises he only wants her to skivvy and breaks down.

Cast of Cinderella:
Cinderella - Tricia Hopkins
The Prince - Bet Lynch
Buttons - Len Fairclough
Dandini - Deirdre Langton
Ugly Sisters - Alf Roberts and Hilda Ogden
Fairy Godmother - Betty Turpin
Baron - Albert Tatlock
Baroness - Mavis Riley

Cast[]

Regular cast[]

Guest cast[]

Trevor Ogden - Don Hawkins

Places[]

Rovers Return Inn - Public/snug
13 Coronation Street - Back room
Community Centre - Small hall and large hall

Notes[]

On Monday 22nd December, in place of a regular episode, a special edition of the programme was broadcast in the usual timeslot. Advertised as Coronation Street, it has since been named Annie and Betty's Coronation Street Memories. This was a programme of clips and flashbacks to previous Christmas editions of the programme.
TV Times synopsis: Curtain up - as the Street puts on a production of Cinderella.
Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 6,150,000 homes (11th place).
This episode was released as a DVD extra with the CD set Coronation Street - Magical Memories released on 29th November 2010, along with Episode 939 (24th December 1969), however the version of the episode used was that prepared for transmission on Granada Plus at Christmas 1996 and was edited down by three-and-a-half minutes.

Notable dialogue[]

Bet Lynch: "Rita, darling!"
Rita Littlewood: "Bet, darling!"
Bet Lynch: "If you ever do anything like that to me again, darling, I shall walk straight off and extract your vocal cords with a blunt knife, darling."
Rita Littlewood: "Little tricky for you, darling?"
Bet Lynch (threatening): "You've 'ad yer fun..."

December 1975 episodes
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