Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Eeee, What Really 'appened, Like!

In a reverent doffing-of-cloth-cap, Britain's ITV is filming the story behind the birth of Britain's favourite soap, Coronation Street. the dragon lady herself, Ena SharplesAnnie Walker, owner of the Rovers Return pub
As The Street reaches its 50th anniversary, this one-off drama takes viewers back to 1960. Back then, fledgling writer Tony Warren dreamt of bringing to the small screen characters from the northern area he knew well – ones we came to love like 'the tart with the heart' (Elsie Tanner), the snob (Annie Walker), the old nosy battleaxe (Ena Sharples).
The drama charts how Warren's vision of Florizel Street made it to the screen against fierce executive opposition. It's a story of boardroom battles and hopes dangled by threads. Elsie Tanner during filmingIt shows how Granada Television's workforce stood behind one of their own and how bosses finally took a gamble – but not before one important thing was changed: the show's title. Florizel Street died on the evening of 9 December 1960 as Coronation Street was born.
the only original cast member left, Ken BarlowQuite a stellar tv cast is lined up...with The Street's longest-serving cast member William Roache (who plays Ken Barlow) played by his real-life son, James Roache!
Coronation Street is the longest running and most watched British soap, and is about to become the world's longest currently-running scripted tv show. It's watched worldwide by staunchly loyal fans: in fact here in NZ, when the government-owned tv channel planned to reduce the screenings per week, public uproar forced the issue to be raised in parliament!
So Happy Anniversary, "Corrie"! We look forward to peeking behind the scenes.

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