Episode 1963 (23rd January 1980)

Plot[]

Elsie cooks hotpot for Len. She tells him that he should swallow his pride; his marriage is worth fighting for. Eddie goes for his dinner with Lorna Ferguson. Rita gives Mavis her address in Salford. Brian is annoyed that Jim Sedgewick is working Gail too hard. Fred gives Stan £3 to let him entertain a woman at No.13 for the evening. Elsie advises Mavis to give Rita's address to Len, telling her that she's the only one who can reconcile them. She gives him the address. Eddie tells Stan he wants to entertain Lorna in the house; Fred will have to go somewhere else. Ralph Lancaster shows Rita the flat and offers it to her rent-free. He tells her that her future bookings at the Gatsby Club rely on whether or not she takes the flat. Len arrives and is furious to see Ralph. Ralph tells him that Rita's finished with him but Len scares him off. Len promises to do the alterations to No.9 but Rita tells him that he's only missing her as a housekeeper. She tells him that she's a woman but he's too wrapped up in his grotty world to see that. He hits her across the face. She breaks down and throws him out. Elsie helps Gail out at the cafe. Sedgewick is impressed at the way she handles Clarkie, one of the lorry drivers. He offers her a job but she refuses it. Fred and Eddie clash over using No.13. Eddie throws Fred and his girl out. Len returns to Rita's lodgings to find she's gone.

Cast[]

Regular cast[]

Guest cast[]

Places[]

9 Coronation Street - Back room/kitchen and hallway
13 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway
Jim's Cafe
The Kabin
Poppy Watts's boarding house - Rita's room and hallway

Notes[]

Annie Hulley makes a pre-Gwen Loveday appearance as Lorna Ferguson.
TV Times synopsis: Will Len Fairclough persuade wife Rita to come back to him? Elsie Tanner gets the offer of a new job.
Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 16,400,000 viewers (7th place).

January 1980 episodes
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