Stan may get a word in at last

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34106, 19 March 1976, Page 4

Stan may get a word in at last

(fly

PETER ROBSON,

of Features International)

For 15 years it has been a street ruled by women — the belligerent Ena Sharpies, the seductive Elsie Tanner, the sharp-tongued Hilda Ogden. But now it looks as though the female tyrants of “Coronation Street” could be coming to the end of their reign, as men’s liberation finally arrives.

11 is part of a new look (order by television chiefs as ( part of a plan to bring the programme in line with contemporary tastes. I For over a decade “Coronation Street" had an automatic place at the top of the ratings in Britain. Then suddenly the soap opera that captivated 12 million viewers there (as well as millions more in 2 countries) started to fall from favour. It failed to make the top 20 television programmes in Britain, lost five million (viewers and put its future in (jeopardy — until its makers I launched a big rescue operation. ; They instructed producer Bill Podmore to turn back [ the clock 15 years and re-( [store the “Street's” original | cloth-cap image. ! “1 really think that in the (last year or two,” Podmore I explained recently at the [company's Manchester studio, “Coronation Street” I began to take itself too se-

“It was in danger ol (becoming too middle class ; Now we re aiming at making it more of a real working class back street in Salford (again. ! “By losing its original fire and grit and attack,” ht [added, ‘Coronation Street I was also missing out on much of its entertainment ■value. The shrewish Ena ; Sharpies was becoming far [too mellow. [ “What we aim to produce is a return to the days (of the two-fisted Len [Fairclough, who was as (ready to throw a punch as he was a dart, and the hot- : headed Elsie Tanner.”

Bill Podmore did not reach ' those conclusions easily, but only after reading through dozens of the original early . scripts and watching recordings of the old “Coronation Street” in the days when he believes it had, more entertainment value. Then he worked out ways of bringing more characters into the series — especially more men. “Women have! always ruled the roost in ‘Coronation Street’,” said Podmore, “and I think that made it' rather over-balanced in some! ways, so now we will be in-|| troducing one or two morel] male characters. “Some of the ‘Street’s’ [favourite established characte I [ers are not getting any ; [younger either” he adyled, • "and that raises further i questions. Violet Carson i (who plays Ena Sharpies is i now 75, Jack Howarth (Albert Tatlock) is 79. i “So we are considering i

ways of bringing in ne\ characters who will be ain eventually to take over. “What we are working on now is a back-up system foi the future, which will mak. the new faces as well-loved, in time, as the original stars.” Bill Podmore has already pulled off one coup which should restore much of the programme’s original popularity. He has helped coax Pat Phoenix back to “Coro nation Str. ?t” as Elsie Tanner, the ageless sex symbol Pat left the series about two (years ago, but to millions of fans she was the one celebrity who should never have 'been allowed to go. Pat made her break, because she believed "Coronation Street” was becoming “too soppy,” and she went on to prove herself an accomplished actress on stage, too. But Pat said recently: “I’m now reconciled to remaining Elsie Tanner for the rest of my life.”