Plot[]
Ken struggles to compose a fitting tribute to Derek when Mavis asks him to speak at the funeral. Derek's sister Edith Wilton arrives and makes it clear she always disliked Mavis, preferring Angela. The residents turn out for Derek's funeral at St. Peter and Paul Church with Mavis and the others - Audrey, Ken, Jim, Alec, Kevin, Angie, Emily, Percy, Betty, Alma, Mike, Gail, Martin, Don, Jack, Vera and Claire attending. Mike annoys Alma by talking through the service and asking for her opinion about business. Norris is late to the service and has to barge past the coffin as it's carried in. Tricia considers moving in with Ray. When the vicar asks for Derek's friend to say a tribute, Mavis is horrified when Norris beats Ken to the pulpit. Insensitive to Mavis's feelings, Norris refers to Derek as "Dirk" and explains how Mavis left him on the motorway and forgot his birthday. As Norris gives his speech Mike gets a phone call and talks loudly as he makes his way outside. Jim and Don are disgusted by his lack of respect. Andy visits Steve in prison and apologises to him for increasing his sentence. When Andy tells him he's leaving university because of the shock of having a gun pointed at him, Steve accuses him of feeling too sorry for himself and points out how bad his life is in prison. Alma is alarmed when Don suggests they join forces to find Mike's weak point. Mavis gets upset when Edith tells her that the residents always viewed Derek as a joke and tells them all she doesn't care because she loved him and he was a wonderful man. Alma feels threatened by Don.
Cast[]
Regular cast[]
- Percy Sugden - Bill Waddington
- Ken Barlow - William Roache
- Rita Sullivan - Barbara Knox
- Mavis Wilton - Thelma Barlow
- Emily Bishop - Eileen Derbyshire
- Chris Collins - Matthew Marsden
- Angie Freeman - Deborah McAndrew
- Vera Duckworth - Elizabeth Dawn
- Jack Duckworth - William Tarmey
- Samantha Failsworth - Tina Hobley
- Tricia Armstrong - Tracy Brabin
- Andy McDonald - Nicholas Cochrane
- Betty Williams - Betty Driver
- Audrey Roberts - Sue Nicholls
- Gail Platt - Helen Worth
- Martin Platt - Sean Wilson
- Don Brennan - Geoff Hinsliff
- Ashley Peacock - Steven Arnold
- Mike Baldwin - Johnny Briggs
- Jim McDonald - Charles Lawson
- Kevin Webster - Michael Le Vell
- Alec Gilroy - Roy Barraclough
- Norris Cole - Malcolm Hebden
- Alma Baldwin - Amanda Barrie
- Claire Palmer - Maggie Norris
- Steve McDonald - Simon Gregson
Guest cast[]
- Edith Wilton - Thelma Whiteley
- Rev Tippett - Steve Tomlin
- Ray Thorpe - Chris Walker
- Brad Armstrong - Caleb Flanagan
Places[]
- Coronation Street
- Rovers Return Inn - Public and back room
- 4 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms
- 5 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms
- 6 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms
- Rosamund Street
- St. Peter and Paul Church - Interior
- Strangeways Jail - Visiting area
Notes[]
- Final appearance of Maggie Norris as Claire Palmer.
- Last appearance of Norris Cole until 1st December 1999.
- Amanda Barrie and Geoff Hinsliff's only appearances at Derek Wilton's wake are in isolated shots filmed on the outdoor lot of No.4: in front of the Wiltons' front window, in the conservatory and in the vestibule by the front door. Body doubles were used in the studio scenes where Don Brennan exits into the conservatory and where Alma Baldwin says goodbye to Mavis Wilton, and both characters are only seen from behind. The reason for this is likely due to a clash in filming schedules with the location work for Episode 4179 (18th April 1997). Roy Barraclough (Alec Gilroy) is also absent from the studio wake scenes, only featuring in one shot on the outdoor lot, standing in front of the living room window looking out onto the street.
- TV Times synopsis: Weatherfield bids a final farewell to one of its residents.
- Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 16,520,000 viewers (3rd place - combined figure including repeat).
- This episode was included in the Golden Anniversary DVD Collection, released by ITV Home Entertainment on 11th October 2010. This was an edited version, removing the 'End of Part One' and 'Part Two' bumpers so that the episode plays continuously, and 13" was cut at the end of Norris Cole's eulogy in church and the start of Andy McDonald's arrival in the prison visiting area, in order to remove the organ music linking the two scenes.
- The ITV3 repeat of this episode on 1st December 2020 was transmitted without any cuts, but the 'End of Part One' bumper featuring graffiti sprayed on the side of a skip in Viaduct Street was replaced by a standard "rooftops" version.
Notable dialogue[]
Norris Cole: "My first meeting with Dirk was one that would change my life. There I was, at a service station on the M6, with nothing much to look forward to in life any more, when suddenly I met this man, who has become my friend, and I would even say, my saviour. What was he doing there? well I'm sure Mavis won't mind me mentioning that she'd driven off and forgotten about him. We all have these little lapses of memory, don't we? Anyway, Dirk and I were to become firm friends. Such firm friends, in fact, that I ended up marrying his first wife - who sends her condolences by the way. Now if you were to ask me what were Dirk's main qualities I'd say loyalty, honesty and a fine sense of humour. I remember when Mavis forgot his sixtieth birthday, how he took it in his stride and even saw the funny side, just as he did with all the other ups and downs he encountered... it has been simply our privilege to have known him."
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