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The Rovers Return Inn is a fictional
pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and wa ...
in the long-running
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
soap opera '' Coronation Street''. The Rovers Return occupies a corner of the fictional Coronation Street and Rosamund Street set location in the show. The pub was built by the fictional brewery Newton and Ridley. In the programme, the Rovers Return Inn has been a free house since 1995, although the brewery continues to supply it. The name comes from the Ye Olde Rovers Return in Withy Grove,
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The tw ...
, a 14th-century building that became a licensed public house but ceased to be so in 1924 and was demolished in 1958. The fictional pub has had three in-universe layouts. The original layout generally consisted of the style of a public bar. The fictional pub was later destroyed after a fire, caused by character Jack Duckworth. Later, the original layout was replaced by a single bar, until once again, being destroyed by a fire.


History of the pub

The Rovers Return Inn opened in 1902 on the newly built Coronation Street (1902 being Coronation year for
Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...
). It was originally to be called ''The Coronation,'' but the brewery was forced to change the name as the go-ahead had already been given for the street to be named Coronation Street.Little. (1993) p.8. When Lieutenant Philip Ridley returned from active service in the
Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...
, the pub was named in his honour. In 1918, to celebrate the return of the soldiers from World War I, the apostrophe was removed, thus making it ''The Rovers Return''. When ''Coronation Street'' began in 1960, the signage of the pub read "The Rovers Return" but at some point, was changed to read "Rovers Return Inn", without a "The". Albert Tatlock ( Jack Howarth) was among the World War I veterans who were still living in the street when the first episode was aired and continued to live there for more than 20 years afterwards. Originally, the pub was divided into three separate bars: the public bar, the snug (usually inhabited by unaccompanied ladies, where drinks were half a penny cheaper) and the select (where drinks were more expensive but were served by a waitress). As late as 1960, the ruling in the pub was that ladies were not allowed to remain at the bar after being served. These archaic rules were dropped soon afterwards. When the pub was damaged by an accidental fire in 1986, the three bars were knocked into one large room. The living quarters downstairs bear no resemblance to the exterior set of the pub. In reality, the living room (the "backroom") would be in the middle of the street at the side of the pub, outside the medical centre. Since 1960 the toilet and cellar doors on the other side of the building would seem to enter the Barlow's kitchen, next door at number one Coronation Street. There is also no obvious room for a commercial kitchen, despite the lunchtime serving of Betty Williams' (
Betty Driver Elizabeth Mary Driver, (20 May 1920 – 15 October 2011) was a British actress and singer, best known for her role as Betty Williams in the long-running ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', a role she played for 42 years from 1969 to 2011, ...
) noted hotpot while she was a barmaid at the pub. Since 2008, viewers have seen scenes in a kitchen/dining room in the upstairs of the pub (for use by the licensee/residents), although no other characters had ever used or referred to this room previously.Little. (1993) p.91. A mock-up of the snug was a feature of the
Granada Studios Tour Granada Studios Tour was an entertainment theme park at the Granada Studios complex in Castlefield, Manchester, England which operated from 1988 to 1999. The park was in the heart of Manchester city centre adjacent to the Granada House buildin ...
. The set's exterior doors are narrower than the doors on the interior set. This has always been the case as the exterior set is reduced in scale. In early 2008, the Rovers Return was redecorated, giving it a fresh look more than 20 years after the refurbishment which followed the fire of 1986. It received new wallpaper, re-upholstered seating, new flooring and new light fittings. A smoking shelter was built, which is accessed by a new door in the main pub area. This door has not been seen on screen. Since that makeover in February 2008, the wallpaper was changed again in October 2008, making its on-screen debut on 17 October 2008. The producers were dissatisfied with the choice of wallpaper in February 2008. The new wallpaper is similar to the wallpaper used after the 1986 fire which hung in The Rovers for 22 years. The change of décor in February 2008 was a storyline in the show, in which
Liz McDonald Elizabeth 'Liz' McDonald (also Greenwood and Tomlin) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She is portrayed by Beverley Callard. She made her first appearance on 27 October 1989. Callard opted to leav ...
's (
Beverley Callard Beverley Jane McEwan (''née'' Moxon; previously Atkinson, Sowden and Callard; born 28 March 1957) is an English actress, known for her role as Liz McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Flo Henshaw in ''Two Pin ...
) husband
Vernon Tomlin Vernon Tomlin is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Ian Reddington. He appeared from December 2005 until September 2008, when the character was written out of the series. The character was t ...
(
Ian Reddington Ian Reddington (born 25 September 1957) is an English actor with many stage and television credits since the early 1980s. He became widely known for television roles such as the Chief Clown in the ''Doctor Who'' serial ''The Greatest Show in t ...
) hired friends to redecorate. The new look of The Rovers in October 2008 was not explained in the story. A few weeks later,
Emily Bishop Emily Bishop (also Nugent and Swain; originally credited as Miss Nugent) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Eileen Derbyshire, the character is the longest-standing female character in ...
(
Eileen Derbyshire Eileen Derbyshire, MBE (born 6 October 1931) is an English retired actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She played the character for 55 years from January 1961 to January 2 ...
) commented to
Jed Stone Jed Stone is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Kenneth Cope. He was a lodger of Minnie Caldwell's in the 1960s, and her nickname for him was "Sunny Jim". He made a reappearance after an abse ...
(
Kenneth Cope Kenneth Charles Cope (born 14 April 1931) is an English retired actor and scriptwriter. He is best known for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'', Jed Stone in ''Coronation Street'' and Ray Hilton in '' Brooksid ...
) that the local pub had "recently" been redecorated.


Major events

The fictional timeline proceeds as follows: * 13 May 1964:
Martha Longhurst Martha Longhurst (also Hartley) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She was played by Lynne Carol from the show's inception in 1960, from the second episode until the character's death in 1964. Creation T ...
( Lynne Carol) dies after suffering a heart attack in the snug of The Rovers. * 7 March 1979: A lorry crashes into The Rovers Return, injuring several people including
Alf Roberts Alfred Sidney "Alf" Roberts, OBE is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Bryan Mosley. He ran a grocery shop at No. 15 and was involved in local politics, including two spells as mayor of Weat ...
(
Bryan Mosley Bryan Mosley (25 August 1931 – 9 February 1999) was a British actor, best known for his role as grocer Alf Roberts in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Early life Mosley was born in Leeds, an only child, to Agnes Basqui ...
), Mike Baldwin ( Johnny Briggs) and
Betty Turpin Betty Williams (also Preston and Turpin) is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by former music hall star Betty Driver. Driver was cast as Betty in 1969, after first auditioning for the role of Hild ...
(
Betty Driver Elizabeth Mary Driver, (20 May 1920 – 15 October 2011) was a British actress and singer, best known for her role as Betty Williams in the long-running ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', a role she played for 42 years from 1969 to 2011, ...
). Deirdre Langton (
Anne Kirkbride Anne Kirkbride (21 June 1954 – 19 January 2015) was an English actress, best known for her long-running role as Deirdre Barlow in the ITV soap '' Coronation Street'', which she played for 42 years from 1972 to 2014. For this role, she posthu ...
) panics because she left a young Tracy (Christabel Finch) sitting outside in her pram, but it emerges that she was kidnapped by Sally Norton (Yvonne Nicholson). * 18 June 1986: A faulty electricity box starts a fire in the pub, and the whole interior explodes.
Bet Lynch Bet Lynch (also Gilroy) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Julie Goodyear, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on Monday 25 May 1966. Appearing over 25 years ...
(
Julie Goodyear Julie Goodyear MBE (''née'' Kemp; born 29 March 1942) is an English actress. She is known for portraying Bet Lynch in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She first appeared as Bet for nine episodes in 1966, before becoming ...
) is asleep upstairs, but is eventually rescued by
Kevin Webster Kevin Webster is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Michael Le Vell, the character first appeared on-screen during the ...
(
Michael Le Vell Michael Robert Turner (born 15 December 1964), known professionally as Michael Le Vell, is an English actor. He is best known for his role as mechanic Kevin Webster in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', a role he has played ...
). * 12 February 1993: Outside the pub, Lisa Duckworth ( Caroline Milmoe) is run over by a speeding motorist while crossing the road. She is taken to hospital, but never regains consciousness and is pronounced dead a few days later. * 13 April 2001:
Toyah Battersby Toyah Habeeb (also Battersby) is a fictional character from the British soap opera '' Coronation Street'', played by Georgia Taylor. Toyah and her family were introduced to the serial by executive producer Brian Park in a bid to increase falli ...
(
Georgia Taylor Georgia Taylor (born Claire Jackson; 26 February 1980) is an English actress. Her TV roles include Toyah Battersby in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (1997–2003, 2016–present), Ruth Winters in the BBC One medical drama series '' ...
) is
raped Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or agai ...
in the ginnel beside The Rovers by an unseen assailant who is later revealed to be Phil Simmonds (
Jack Deam Jack Deam (born Ian Deam; 1972) is an English actor. He used his grandfather's name for his stage name. His most notable performances have been as the pyromaniac Marty Fisher, who has Tourette syndrome, in Channel 4's comedy drama series, '' ...
). * 10 April 2005:
Tracy Barlow Tracy Lynette McDonald (also Barlow, Preston, Cropper and Langton) is a fictional character and a main antagonist from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She was born on-screen during the episode broadcast on 24 January 1977. S ...
's (
Kate Ford Kate Ford (born 29 December 1976) is an English actress. She is known for her portrayal of Tracy Barlow in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (2002–2007, 2010–present). Ford was born in Salford, Greater Manchester. She attended Que ...
) biological father
Ray Langton Ray Langton is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Neville Buswell. Storylines Ray Langton was born at Number 2 Gas Street. Throughout his childhood, he was in trouble with the police most o ...
(
Neville Buswell Neville Alfred Morris Buswell (20 January 1943 – 25 December 2019) was a British actor, best known for his role as Ray Langton in ''Coronation Street''. Early years Buswell attended Belmont Abbey School near Hereford from 1955 to 1960, an ...
) dies of
stomach cancer Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a cancer that develops from the lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a number of subtypes, including gastric adenocarcinomas. Lymp ...
during a party to celebrate the second wedding of his ex-wife Deirdre Rachid (
Anne Kirkbride Anne Kirkbride (21 June 1954 – 19 January 2015) was an English actress, best known for her long-running role as Deirdre Barlow in the ITV soap '' Coronation Street'', which she played for 42 years from 1972 to 2014. For this role, she posthu ...
) to
Ken Barlow Ken Barlow is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by William Roache. He was created by Tony Warren as one of ''Coronation St ...
(
William Roache William Patrick Roache (born 25 April 1932) is an English actor. He is best known for playing Ken Barlow in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since it was first broadcast on 9 December 1960. He is listed in the ''Guinness World Records' ...
). * 22 February 2008:
Violet Wilson Violet Wilson is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She was portrayed by Jenny Platt making her first on-screen appearance on 8 October 2004 and remained until 29 February 2008. Platt returned for one ...
(
Jenny Platt Jennifer "Jenny" Platt (born 24 September 1979) is an English actress best known for her role as Violet Wilson in the long-running television soap ''Coronation Street'' and her role as Jeanne in ''Versailles''. Platt was born in Ipswich, Suffo ...
) gives birth to her son Dylan assisted by
Marcus Dent Marcus Dent is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Charlie Condou. He made his first screen appearance during the episode on 7 September 2007. Marcus departed on 5 September 2008, but returned ...
(
Charlie Condou Charlie Condou, (born 8 January 1973) is a British actor, columnist and LGBT rights activist. Condou secured a series of television movie roles during his teenage years in the 1980s. He later had guest roles in British television series during th ...
). * 23 January 2012: During the wedding reception of
Tracy Barlow Tracy Lynette McDonald (also Barlow, Preston, Cropper and Langton) is a fictional character and a main antagonist from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She was born on-screen during the episode broadcast on 24 January 1977. S ...
(
Kate Ford Kate Ford (born 29 December 1976) is an English actress. She is known for her portrayal of Tracy Barlow in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (2002–2007, 2010–present). Ford was born in Salford, Greater Manchester. She attended Que ...
) and Steve McDonald (
Simon Gregson Simon Alan Gregory (born 2 October 1974), better known by his stage name, Simon Gregson, is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Steve McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since 1989. He has rec ...
), Steve's ex-wife Becky ( Katherine Kelly) reveals that Tracy suffered a miscarriage the day before she blamed Becky for the miscarriage, thus meaning that Tracy was lying. Steve subsequently leaves Tracy. * 9 September 2012:
Kirsty Soames Kirsty Soames is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Natalie Gumede. She made her first on-screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 September 2011. On 21 February 2013, Gumede annou ...
(
Natalie Gumede Natalie Gumede (born 20 March 1984) is an English actress. She is known for playing Kirsty Soames in the ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', from 2011 to 2013. She previously played China in BBC Three comedy show ''Ideal''. She has also ap ...
) goes into labour after a fight with barmaid
Tina McIntyre Tina McIntyre is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Michelle Keegan, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode that was shown 7 January 2008. The character was central to m ...
(
Michelle Keegan Michelle Elizabeth Keegan (born 3 June 1987) is an English actress, known for her roles as Tina McIntyre in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Sergeant Georgie Lane in the BBC drama series ''Our Girl''. Keegan also starred as Tracy ...
). She later gives birth to her daughter Ruby Dobbs in the back room. * 18 March 2013: In an attempt to frame
Jason Grimshaw Jason Grimshaw is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Ryan Thomas, the character first appeared on screen on 25 December 2000. It was announced in October 2015 that Thomas had quit the role ...
(
Ryan Thomas Ryan may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia * Division of Ryan, an elec ...
) for arson,
Karl Munro Karl Munro is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by John Michie. Michie's casting was announced in April 2011. He signed an initial one-year contract and began filming his scenes in May. Upon joi ...
(
John Michie John Michie (born 25 October 1956) is a Scottish television and film actor, known for his roles as DI Robbie Ross in the STV detective drama series ''Taggart'', as Karl Munro in '' Coronation Street'' from 2011–2013 and his role as CEO Guy ...
) sets fire to The Rovers, leaving
Stella Price Stella Price is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Michelle Collins. Collins' casting was announced in April 2011 and she began filming her scenes in May. The actress commuted from north Lond ...
(
Michelle Collins Michelle Danielle Collins (born 28 May 1962) is an English actress and TV presenter, best known for her roles in the British soap operas ''EastEnders'' and ''Coronation Street''. Collins played Cindy Beale in the BBC soap ''EastEnders'' from ...
) and
Sunita Alahan Sunita Alahan (also Parekh) was a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Shobna Gulati. She made her first screen appearance on 23 March 2001 and remained in the show until 2006, when the character ...
(
Shobna Gulati Shobna Gulati (born 7 August 1966)www.shobnagulati.co.uk
Shobna Gulati official website
is an English ...
) hospitalised, and killing Toni Griffiths (
Tara Moran Kathleen Tara Moran (born 1 June 1971 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an actress. Moran's television debut was in Yorkshire Television's educational history series for schools, '' How We Used to Live''. During the mid-1980s she played Al ...
) and later Sunita. * 26 May 2013: After telling
Izzy Armstrong Izzy Armstrong is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Cherylee Houston. The character first appears on-screen on 16 April 2010; she is introduced as a new love interest for Kirk Sutherla ...
(
Cherylee Houston Cherylee Martina Houston (born 20 August 1974) is a British actress. She grew up in Morecambe, Lancashire, in the United Kingdom. She is currently playing Izzy Armstrong in ''Coronation Street'', a role she has portrayed since April 2010. Sh ...
) that
Gary Windass Gary Windass is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Mikey North. He made his first appearance on November 14, 2008, the same episode where his parents Eddie (Steve Huison) and Anna Windass (Deb ...
(
Mikey North Michael "Mikey" North (born 27 September 1986) is an English actor best known for his role as Gary Windass in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since 2008. Early life North was born in the Cayton area of Scarborough and began acting ...
) had made a pass at her,
Tina McIntyre Tina McIntyre is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Michelle Keegan, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode that was shown 7 January 2008. The character was central to m ...
(
Michelle Keegan Michelle Elizabeth Keegan (born 3 June 1987) is an English actress, known for her roles as Tina McIntyre in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Sergeant Georgie Lane in the BBC drama series ''Our Girl''. Keegan also starred as Tracy ...
) goes into labour with their child two months early. * 14 October 2013: After accusing barmaid
Tina McIntyre Tina McIntyre is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Michelle Keegan, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode that was shown 7 January 2008. The character was central to m ...
(
Michelle Keegan Michelle Elizabeth Keegan (born 3 June 1987) is an English actress, known for her roles as Tina McIntyre in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Sergeant Georgie Lane in the BBC drama series ''Our Girl''. Keegan also starred as Tracy ...
) of having an affair with her husband
David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
(
Jack P. Shepherd Jack Peter Shepherd (born 14 January 1988) is a British actor. He is best known for his role as David Platt in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. He won the award for Best Young Actor in 2001 at The ''Inside Soap'' Awards and Best Bad B ...
),
Kylie Platt Kylie Platt (also Turner) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Paula Lane. She was introduced as Becky McDonald's ( Katherine Kelly) half-sister, making her on-screen debut on 26 August 201 ...
(
Paula Lane Paula Lane (born 17 April 1986) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Kylie Platt in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from 2010 to 2016. Early life Lane is originally from Hebden Bridge near Halifax. Lane attend ...
) attacks her in The Rovers, leading to an explosive
catfight Catfight (also girl fight) is a term for an altercation between two females, often characterized as involving scratching, shoving, slapping, choking, punching, kicking, biting, spitting, hair-pulling, and shirt-shredding. It can also be used to d ...
. During the fight,
Liz McDonald Elizabeth 'Liz' McDonald (also Greenwood and Tomlin) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She is portrayed by Beverley Callard. She made her first appearance on 27 October 1989. Callard opted to leav ...
(
Beverley Callard Beverley Jane McEwan (''née'' Moxon; previously Atkinson, Sowden and Callard; born 28 March 1957) is an English actress, known for her role as Liz McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Flo Henshaw in ''Two Pin ...
) returns to Coronation Street and announces that she is now co-owner of The Rovers. * 25 December 2013: A drunken
Kylie Platt Kylie Platt (also Turner) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Paula Lane. She was introduced as Becky McDonald's ( Katherine Kelly) half-sister, making her on-screen debut on 26 August 201 ...
(
Paula Lane Paula Lane (born 17 April 1986) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Kylie Platt in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from 2010 to 2016. Early life Lane is originally from Hebden Bridge near Halifax. Lane attend ...
) makes a pass at Rob Donovan ( Marc Baylis) and ends up brawling with
Tina McIntyre Tina McIntyre is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Michelle Keegan, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode that was shown 7 January 2008. The character was central to m ...
(
Michelle Keegan Michelle Elizabeth Keegan (born 3 June 1987) is an English actress, known for her roles as Tina McIntyre in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Sergeant Georgie Lane in the BBC drama series ''Our Girl''. Keegan also starred as Tracy ...
) yet again outside of The Rovers. * 22 January 2014: Anna Windass (
Debbie Rush Debbie Rush (born 29 March 1966) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Anna Windass in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from 2008 to 2018. Career Early career After training at the Manchester School of Acting when s ...
) walks into The Rovers and reveals the news of
Hayley Cropper Hayley Cropper (also Hayley Patterson) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Julie Hesmondhalgh. The character first appeared in the episode first broadcast on 26 January 1998. Hayley was the ...
's (
Julie Hesmondhalgh Julie Claire Hesmondhalgh (born 25 February 1970) is an English actress and narrator. She is known for her role as Hayley Cropper in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' between 1998 and 2014. For this role, she won Best Serial Drama Perfo ...
) death to the regulars. * 27 May 2014: Peter Barlow ( Chris Gascoyne) tells his wife
Carla Connor Carla Barlow (also Connor and Gordon) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Alison King. She made her first appearance on screen during the episode airing on 1 December 2006 and introduced as ...
( Alison King) about his affair with
Tina McIntyre Tina McIntyre is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Michelle Keegan, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode that was shown 7 January 2008. The character was central to m ...
(
Michelle Keegan Michelle Elizabeth Keegan (born 3 June 1987) is an English actress, known for her roles as Tina McIntyre in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Sergeant Georgie Lane in the BBC drama series ''Our Girl''. Keegan also starred as Tracy ...
) in the backroom. She storms into the pub, shouting that she wants to "kill" Tina. When Tina is later attacked and dies, Carla becomes the prime suspect. * 13 May 2015:
Liz McDonald Elizabeth 'Liz' McDonald (also Greenwood and Tomlin) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She is portrayed by Beverley Callard. She made her first appearance on 27 October 1989. Callard opted to leav ...
(
Beverley Callard Beverley Jane McEwan (''née'' Moxon; previously Atkinson, Sowden and Callard; born 28 March 1957) is an English actress, known for her role as Liz McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Flo Henshaw in ''Two Pin ...
) is attacked by two thugs, but she is unaware that her partner
Tony Stewart Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971), nicknamed Smoke, is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, current NASCAR team co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, and current co-owner of the Superstar Racing Experience. He i ...
(Terence Maynard) arranged the horrific attack. * 21 October 2016: Following David Platt's (
Jack P. Shepherd Jack Peter Shepherd (born 14 January 1988) is a British actor. He is best known for his role as David Platt in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. He won the award for Best Young Actor in 2001 at The ''Inside Soap'' Awards and Best Bad B ...
) horrific car accident on the street, an explosion caused by leaking petrol rips through the street and blows in The Rovers' windows, which also leaves
Michelle Connor Michelle Connor (also McDonald) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by former Hear'Say singer, Kym Marsh. The character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 3 April 2006. Ma ...
(
Kym Marsh Kimberley Gail Ratcliff (''née'' Marsh, previously Ryder and Lomas; born 13 June 1976) is an English actress, television presenter and singer. In 2001, she won a place in the band Hear'Say as a result of appearing on the reality television ser ...
) in a state of shock. * 15 September 2017: Rita Tanner (
Barbara Knox Barbara Knox, MBE (''née'' Brothwood, formerly Mullaney; born 30 September 1933) is an English actress, best known for her long-running portrayal of Rita Tanner in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She first appeared as Rita Littlewo ...
) publicly collapses at
Jenny Bradley Jenny Connor (also Bradley) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Sally Ann Matthews. She made her first appearance on-screen on 6 January 1986. Originally fostered by Rita Fairclough (Barba ...
(
Sally Ann Matthews Sally Ann Matthews (born 19 September 1970) is an English actress. She is best known for playing the role of Jenny Bradley in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Career Matthews was born in Oldham, Lancashire. She played Jenny Brad ...
) and
Eva Price Eva Price is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Catherine Tyldesley, her character and casting was announced in May 2011 and she made her first appearance on screen on 17 June 2011. Eva was i ...
's (
Catherine Tyldesley Catherine Tyldesley (born 17 September 1983) is an English actress, comedian and model known for her roles as Iris Moss in the BBC drama '' Lilies'', Eva Price on the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from 2011 to 2018 and Karen Norris in ...
) joint hen party, as a result of a brain tumour. * 25 December 2019: Derek Milligan (Craige Els) storms into the pub armed with a shotgun and holds many residents hostage, including
Gary Windass Gary Windass is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Mikey North. He made his first appearance on November 14, 2008, the same episode where his parents Eddie (Steve Huison) and Anna Windass (Deb ...
(
Mikey North Michael "Mikey" North (born 27 September 1986) is an English actor best known for his role as Gary Windass in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since 2008. Early life North was born in the Cayton area of Scarborough and began acting ...
), Ali Neeson (
James Burrows James Edward Burrows (born December 30, 1940), sometimes known as Jim "Jimmy" Burrows, is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.Stated in interview on ''Inside the Actors Studio'' Burrows has direct ...
), Johnny Connor (
Richard Hawley Richard Willis Hawley (born 17 January 1967) is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. After his first band Treebound Story (formed while he was still at school) broke up, Hawley found success as a member of Britpop band Longp ...
),
Jenny Connor Jenny Connor (also Bradley) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Sally Ann Matthews. She made her first appearance on-screen on 6 January 1986. Originally fostered by Rita Fairclough (Barba ...
(
Sally Ann Matthews Sally Ann Matthews (born 19 September 1970) is an English actress. She is best known for playing the role of Jenny Bradley in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Career Matthews was born in Oldham, Lancashire. She played Jenny Brad ...
), Rita Tanner (
Barbara Knox Barbara Knox, MBE (''née'' Brothwood, formerly Mullaney; born 30 September 1933) is an English actress, best known for her long-running portrayal of Rita Tanner in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She first appeared as Rita Littlewo ...
),
Izzy Armstrong Izzy Armstrong is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Cherylee Houston. The character first appears on-screen on 16 April 2010; she is introduced as a new love interest for Kirk Sutherla ...
(
Cherylee Houston Cherylee Martina Houston (born 20 August 1974) is a British actress. She grew up in Morecambe, Lancashire, in the United Kingdom. She is currently playing Izzy Armstrong in ''Coronation Street'', a role she has portrayed since April 2010. Sh ...
),
Fiz Stape Fiona 'Fiz' Dobbs (also Brown and Stape) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Jennie McAlpine, the character first appeared on screen on 20 April 2001. Initially appearing for five episo ...
(
Jennie McAlpine Jennie Elizabeth McAlpine (born 12 February 1984) is an English television actress, comedian and businesswoman. She is known for her role as Fiz Brown in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street''. She also took part in the seventeenth series ...
),
Tyrone Dobbs Tyrone Dobbs is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Alan Halsall, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on 30 November 1998 and is still a cast member over 20 yea ...
(
Alan Halsall Alan David Halsall (born 11 August 1982) is an English actor, best known for portraying the role of Tyrone Dobbs in ''Coronation Street'', a role he has played since 1998. Early life Halsall was brought up in Walkden, Salford and attended Wa ...
),
Seb Franklin The following is a list of ''Coronation Street'' characters introduced in 2016, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by series producer Stuart Blackburn, or his successor Kate Oates. Marta Zarek Marta Zarek, played by Ed ...
(Harry Visinoni), Tracy McDonald (
Kate Ford Kate Ford (born 29 December 1976) is an English actress. She is known for her portrayal of Tracy Barlow in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (2002–2007, 2010–present). Ford was born in Salford, Greater Manchester. She attended Que ...
),
Liz McDonald Elizabeth 'Liz' McDonald (also Greenwood and Tomlin) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She is portrayed by Beverley Callard. She made her first appearance on 27 October 1989. Callard opted to leav ...
(
Beverley Callard Beverley Jane McEwan (''née'' Moxon; previously Atkinson, Sowden and Callard; born 28 March 1957) is an English actress, known for her role as Liz McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Flo Henshaw in ''Two Pin ...
), Steve McDonald (
Simon Gregson Simon Alan Gregory (born 2 October 1974), better known by his stage name, Simon Gregson, is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Steve McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since 1989. He has rec ...
) and
Emma Brooker Emma Brooker is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Alexandra Mardell. She first appeared on-screen during the episode broadcast on 20 April 2018. Emma's storylines have included short-term rel ...
(Alexandra Mardell). He later fights with Gary and Ali, before shooting outside to show the locals that the gun is in fact loaded, however the bullet hits Robert Preston (
Tristan Gemmill Tristan John Gemmill (born 6 June 1967) is an English actor, most notable for his roles as Dr Adam Trueman on '' Casualty'', and Robert Preston in ''Coronation Street''. He was educated at Holmewood House School, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, ...
), who is about to enter the pub. Robert later dies in hospital from the shooting.


Employees


Current staff


Previous staff


Incidents


Martha's death (1964)

Episode 357, transmitted: 13 May 1964 In 1964, the producership of ''Coronation Street'' was handed to young, enthusiastic Tim Aspinall. He immediately began to ring changes. Since it had been fully networked across the various ITV regions in 1960, ''Coronation Street'' had never been out of the top ten ratings of the week (that continues to this day, 61 years on). However, competition came from the BBC (there were only two channels in those days, BBC Television and ITV – BBC 2 was to follow later that year). The BBC placed their most popular comedy series such as ''
Steptoe and Son ''Steptoe and Son'' is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in 26a Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC in black and ...
'' opposite the programme. In those pre-video recorder days, viewers were forced to choose what to watch, and, as a consequence, ''Coronation Street'' began to lose the rating war. It was decided, by Aspinall, that several "blockbuster" storylines would have to be staged, the most radical being the death of
Martha Longhurst Martha Longhurst (also Hartley) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She was played by Lynne Carol from the show's inception in 1960, from the second episode until the character's death in 1964. Creation T ...
( Lynne Carol). Despite being a nosy old gossip and, in the Mancunian dialect of the show was "... no better than she should be....", Martha was a highly popular character; thus, she was chosen to be killed off in a highly cynical bid to boost the ratings. On the night of her death, the residents were gathered in The Rovers, singing songs and celebrating Frank Barlow's £5000 win on the Premium Bonds. Martha, on her way to Spain the next day, had been showing off her new passport, of which she was very proud. She began to feel faint and retreated to the Snug, away from the singing punters, all in tune with
Ena Sharples Ena Sharples (née Schofield) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Violet Carson. She appeared in the first-ever episode, broadcast on 9 December 1960, and stayed with the show until 2 April ...
(
Violet Carson Violet Helen Carson, OBE (1 September 1898 – 26 December 1983) was a British actress of radio, stage and television, and a singer and pianist, who had a long and celebrated career as an actress and performer during the early days of BBC Radi ...
) on piano. Feeling flushed she undid her top button, pushed off her beret, clutched her chest and collapsed onto the table. The regulars, with the impression she was drunk, came to see what was going on. Upon inspection, Len Fairclough ( Peter Adamson) pronounced her dead. She had suffered a fatal heart attack at the table she had frequented for years. The punters left, leaving only the Walkers, lifelong friend Ena and the late Martha Longhurst.
Violet Carson Violet Helen Carson, OBE (1 September 1898 – 26 December 1983) was a British actress of radio, stage and television, and a singer and pianist, who had a long and celebrated career as an actress and performer during the early days of BBC Radi ...
, a highly accomplished pianist (she had played the piano on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
's long-running ''
Children's Hour ''Children's Hour'', initially ''The Children's Hour'', was the BBC's principal recreational service for children (as distinct from "Broadcasts to Schools") which began during the period when radio was the only medium of broadcasting. ''Childr ...
'') kept her back to the camera as she played the song "Down at the Old Bull and Bush" as she was so upset by the storyline and didn't want the camera to see her tears. That night saw the credits roll in silence for the very first time (something that would later become the norm whenever a character was "killed off"), with the rooftop scene replaced by a close up of the snug table that contained a sherry glass, a passport and Martha's famous NHS spectacles.


Lorry crash (1979)

Episode 1893, transmitted: 7 March 1979 Deirdre Langton (
Anne Kirkbride Anne Kirkbride (21 June 1954 – 19 January 2015) was an English actress, best known for her long-running role as Deirdre Barlow in the ITV soap '' Coronation Street'', which she played for 42 years from 1972 to 2014. For this role, she posthu ...
) wheeled her young daughter Tracy (Christabel Finch) down to The Rovers in her pram. She was to see Annie Walker (
Doris Speed Doris Speed, MBE (3 February 1899 – 16 November 1994) was an English actress, best known for her role as landlady of the Rovers Return Inn Annie Walker on ''Coronation Street'', a role she played from the programme's first episode in 1960 unt ...
) with regards to a knitting pattern. Knowing Annie's strict rules concerning children on licensed premises, Tracy was left outside in her pushchair. No more than two minutes had passed as Deirdre and Annie spoke in the back room. Suddenly, their conversation was halted by the screeching of brakes followed by a terrible crash, which shook the pub. Annie froze but Deirdre rushed through the pub and outside where she had left Tracy. In that very spot was a 6-foot pile of timber. Accompanying the pile was a lorry, turned on its side and smoking from the crash. Deirdre hysterically pulled away from the wood screaming for Tracy. Inside the pub,
Alf Roberts Alfred Sidney "Alf" Roberts, OBE is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Bryan Mosley. He ran a grocery shop at No. 15 and was involved in local politics, including two spells as mayor of Weat ...
(
Bryan Mosley Bryan Mosley (25 August 1931 – 9 February 1999) was a British actor, best known for his role as grocer Alf Roberts in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Early life Mosley was born in Leeds, an only child, to Agnes Basqui ...
) had been sitting with friend, Len Fairclough ( Peter Adamson) in front of the window. Alf lay unconscious as Len, whose own arm was broken, desperately tried to help him.
Ken Barlow Ken Barlow is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by William Roache. He was created by Tony Warren as one of ''Coronation St ...
(
William Roache William Patrick Roache (born 25 April 1932) is an English actor. He is best known for playing Ken Barlow in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since it was first broadcast on 9 December 1960. He is listed in the ''Guinness World Records' ...
), having rushed across from the community centre, took control. Having realised the driver was dead, he began to help the distraught Deirdre who was still frantically clawing at the timber. Once the police had taken charge, and Deirdre had been taken away to be comforted by
Emily Bishop Emily Bishop (also Nugent and Swain; originally credited as Miss Nugent) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Eileen Derbyshire, the character is the longest-standing female character in ...
(
Eileen Derbyshire Eileen Derbyshire, MBE (born 6 October 1931) is an English retired actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She played the character for 55 years from January 1961 to January 2 ...
) and
Ena Sharples Ena Sharples (née Schofield) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Violet Carson. She appeared in the first-ever episode, broadcast on 9 December 1960, and stayed with the show until 2 April ...
(
Violet Carson Violet Helen Carson, OBE (1 September 1898 – 26 December 1983) was a British actress of radio, stage and television, and a singer and pianist, who had a long and celebrated career as an actress and performer during the early days of BBC Radi ...
), the timber was eventually cleared from the shattered pub. The story was concluded when Tracy was found not to be under the timber but had been snatched away moments before the pub was hit. The snatcher was a crazed young woman called Sally Norton (Yvonne Nicholson) who had become obsessed with Tracy. Mother and daughter were reunited later by the canal as Tracy was rushed to the arms of Deirdre. For Alf, the scars remained, and he underwent a personality change months after he returned from the hospital.


Fire (1986)

Episode 2631, Transmitted: 18 June 1986 During a sing-a-long night, when the guests stood around the piano, the lights in the pub had been flickering and cutting out all night. Much to the frustration of
Bet Lynch Bet Lynch (also Gilroy) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Julie Goodyear, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on Monday 25 May 1966. Appearing over 25 years ...
(
Julie Goodyear Julie Goodyear MBE (''née'' Kemp; born 29 March 1942) is an English actress. She is known for portraying Bet Lynch in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She first appeared as Bet for nine episodes in 1966, before becoming ...
) and the rest of the punters.
Jack Duckworth John "Jack" Duckworth is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Bill Tarmey. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 28 November 1979. Jack was introduced by executive pr ...
(
Bill Tarmey Bill Tarmey (born William Piddington; 4 April 1941 – 9 November 2012) was an English actor and singer, best known for playing Jack Duckworth in the soap opera ''Coronation Street''. First appearing in the role in November 1979, he played ...
), potman at the time, decided to fix the problem. Upon return, he was graciously thanked for solving the problem. However, he had replaced the fuse with a far stronger one, leaving the problem of a potential explosion. Bet retired to bed that night, having locked up. In the middle of the night, the inevitable happened; the fuse box exploded and started a fire. This scene was shown at the end of the previous episode, Episode 2630 on 16 June 1986, showing the fuse box showering sparks as it exploded, with flames licking out from a left over box of scotch whisky over the end credits. The fire eventually took hold in the main bar area by the time young couple
Kevin Webster Kevin Webster is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Michael Le Vell, the character first appeared on-screen during the ...
(
Michael Le Vell Michael Robert Turner (born 15 December 1964), known professionally as Michael Le Vell, is an English actor. He is best known for his role as mechanic Kevin Webster in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', a role he has played ...
) and Sally Seddon (
Sally Dynevor Sally Jane Dynevor (née Whittaker; born 30 May 1963) is a British actress, she is best known for her role as Sally Metcalfe in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', which she has played since 1986. In 2022, Dynevor competed in the fourt ...
) returned from a rock concert in
Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and ...
at 5.30am. Noticing the smoke seeping out from under the Rovers door with the orange glow of the flames behind the glass, Sally alerted Kevin, gently whispering "Fire!". The street soon came alive as residents
Percy Sugden Percy Sugden is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Bill Waddington. He appeared between 1983 and 1997. Creation The character was introduced to ''Coronation Street'' as a potential caretaker ...
(
Bill Waddington William Joseph Waddington (10 June 1916 – 9 September 2000) was an English actor, comedian and co-author who was born in Oldham, Lancashire. In later life he achieved stardom as the pompous ex-serviceman Percy Sugden in Granada Televisio ...
) and
Terry Duckworth Terry Duckworth is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Nigel Pivaro. He was introduced as the son of popular characters Jack and Vera Duckworth, making his on-screen debut on 1 August 1983. ...
(
Nigel Pivaro Nigel Pivaro (born 11 December 1959) is an English actor and journalist. He is best known for playing Terry Duckworth, the son of Jack and Vera Duckworth in ''Coronation Street''. Career Pivaro was born in Manchester, England to an Itali ...
) offered a helping hand. Immediately aware Bet was asleep in her bedroom and failing to wake her after banging the front doors to do so, Kevin acquired a ladder with the help of Percy and was able to reach the bedroom window.
Ken Barlow Ken Barlow is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by William Roache. He was created by Tony Warren as one of ''Coronation St ...
(
William Roache William Patrick Roache (born 25 April 1932) is an English actor. He is best known for playing Ken Barlow in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since it was first broadcast on 9 December 1960. He is listed in the ''Guinness World Records' ...
) phoned for the fire brigade, and moved the Barlows' orange Volkswagen Beetle under the viaduct, Jack doing the same with the Duckworth's Vauxhall Nova, to clear a space for the emergency services when they arrived.
Emily Bishop Emily Bishop (also Nugent and Swain; originally credited as Miss Nugent) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Eileen Derbyshire, the character is the longest-standing female character in ...
(
Eileen Derbyshire Eileen Derbyshire, MBE (born 6 October 1931) is an English retired actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She played the character for 55 years from January 1961 to January 2 ...
),
Ivy Tilsley Ivy Joan Tilsley (originally credited as Ivy Tyldesley, also Nelson and later Brennan) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Played by Lynne Perrie, Ivy first appeared on-screen on 14 June 1971, initially on ...
(
Lynne Perrie Lynne Perrie (born Jean Dudley; 7 April 1931 – 24 March 2006) was an English actress, singer and television personality, best known as Mrs Casper in Ken Loach's 1969 film '' Kes'', Mrs Petty in the television series ''Queenie's Castle'', and a ...
) and
Hilda Ogden Hilda Ogden (also Crabtree) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', one of the best-known of all the regular characters in the serial, whose name became synonymous with a classic hard-working Northern wor ...
(
Jean Alexander Jean Margaret Hodgkinson (11 October 1926 – 14 October 2016), known by the stage name Jean Alexander, was a British television actress. She was best known to television viewers for her long running role of Hilda Ogden in the soap opera ''Co ...
) were others to join in with the rescue mission. Inside, Bet had finally woken up, trying her beside lamp with no success, and raced out of the bedroom to crawl along the landing to her escape out of the pub, only to find her exit down the stairs blocked by flames that leapt up at her from the hallway. She released a blood-curdling scream and ran back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her and slipping to the floor, whimpering and vomiting up the smoke that had congealed in her stomach. She collapsed unconscious, overcome from the smoke, before she could reach the window to shout for help. Julie Goodyear later revealed that her night dress, supposedly fire-proofed, had in fact caught fire during filming of the scene, and she was in genuine danger. She said in the 2010 documentary ''Coronation Street - 50 Years, 50 Moments'' that "the scream at the top of the stairs was for real. I was terrified." Kevin climbed up the ladder and arrived at the window - Ivy throwing a rag to him to protect him from the smoke and Terry throwing a brick to allow him to smash the window. Shouting to the rest of the residents that he could see Bet, he climbed in. Down below, the front windows of the pub exploded out into the Street, sending shocked residents screaming and running. As Kevin dragged Bet to the window, the
Fire Brigade A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...
arrived to take over, with Terry advising the fire chief in charge of the operations where Bet and Kevin could be found, with the chief telling one of his personnel where the room in question was. Kevin escaped back down the ladder and the firemen took over the task of getting Bet out themselves, putting one of their oxygen masks over her face. Bet was saved as heroic Kevin was led home, refusing to be taken to hospital.
Vera Duckworth Vera Duckworth (also Burton) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Liz Dawn. Vera is known for her long-standing marriage to Jack Duckworth ( Bill Tarmey); they became one of the best-love ...
( Liz Dawn) had sarcastically suggested that the cause had been Bet smoking in bed, though Jack knew who was to blame. As Bet was led away in the ambulance she joked "Can you give me a minute, love, give me time to put my face on...?". Once the emergency services established everyone had been safely accounted for, they set about extinguishing the fire itself, starting with the main bar and working their way down to the cellar where the fire had originated. The Rovers was completely destroyed as the fire brigade and police examined the pub and quickly established the fire had been caused by an electrical fault after looking over the fuse box, and clear out the loose debris. Breaking with convention, the episode ended not with Bet fighting for her life, which would have been the usual soap opera cliché, but the pub itself, which Newton and Ridley thought was not worth saving and intended to demolish. Once the Rovers was renovated and refurbished, Bet pinned an electrician's number up on the board telling Jack to call upon the services of a professional, as they had the Rovers back, and she intended on keeping it. The closing credits for this episode were particularly long, this was due to a pigeon being captured on the camera after the closing sequence was filmed. The sequence initially was to show workmen finishing boarding up the pub's doors and windows and taking the rubbish bags with much of the charred debris away. After the rubbish wagon drove off, the pigeon magically flew over the viaduct and landed on the blackened Rovers sign. The closing credits were extended to show this, with almost the entire theme tune being played, and delays between the last few credits, and shows the Rovers in a sorry state. The entire sequence was 1 minute 45 seconds, over twice as long as usual.


Ray Langton's death (2005)

In 2005,
Ray Langton Ray Langton is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Neville Buswell. Storylines Ray Langton was born at Number 2 Gas Street. Throughout his childhood, he was in trouble with the police most o ...
(
Neville Buswell Neville Alfred Morris Buswell (20 January 1943 – 25 December 2019) was a British actor, best known for his role as Ray Langton in ''Coronation Street''. Early years Buswell attended Belmont Abbey School near Hereford from 1955 to 1960, an ...
) returned to Coronation Street, where he died of
stomach cancer Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a cancer that develops from the lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a number of subtypes, including gastric adenocarcinomas. Lymp ...
. His death was the second death in the history of Coronation Street to take place inside The Rovers.


Dylan Wilson's birth (2008)

In February 2008, barmaid
Violet Wilson Violet Wilson is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She was portrayed by Jenny Platt making her first on-screen appearance on 8 October 2004 and remained until 29 February 2008. Platt returned for one ...
(
Jenny Platt Jennifer "Jenny" Platt (born 24 September 1979) is an English actress best known for her role as Violet Wilson in the long-running television soap ''Coronation Street'' and her role as Jeanne in ''Versailles''. Platt was born in Ipswich, Suffo ...
) gave birth in the pub to Dylan who was fathered by
gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
barman
Sean Tully Sean Tully is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Antony Cotton. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 13 July 2003. Following that appearance, the character returned full-ti ...
(
Antony Cotton Antony Cotton (born Antony Dunn; 5 August 1975) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Sean Tully in ''Coronation Street'', as well as portraying Alexander Perry in the original '' Queer as Folk'' series. In 2007, Cotton hosted ...
). Landlady
Liz McDonald Elizabeth 'Liz' McDonald (also Greenwood and Tomlin) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She is portrayed by Beverley Callard. She made her first appearance on 27 October 1989. Callard opted to leav ...
(
Beverley Callard Beverley Jane McEwan (''née'' Moxon; previously Atkinson, Sowden and Callard; born 28 March 1957) is an English actress, known for her role as Liz McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' and Flo Henshaw in ''Two Pin ...
),
Eileen Grimshaw Eileen Grimshaw (also Phelan) is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Sue Cleaver, the character first appeared on-screen ...
(
Sue Cleaver Susan Owen ( Cleaver; born 2 September 1963) is an English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Eileen Grimshaw on the ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', which she has played since 2000. Early and personal life Cleaver wa ...
) and
Vernon Tomlin Vernon Tomlin is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Ian Reddington. He appeared from December 2005 until September 2008, when the character was written out of the series. The character was t ...
(
Ian Reddington Ian Reddington (born 25 September 1957) is an English actor with many stage and television credits since the early 1980s. He became widely known for television roles such as the Chief Clown in the ''Doctor Who'' serial ''The Greatest Show in t ...
) were present at the birth. Sean's boyfriend,
Marcus Dent Marcus Dent is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Charlie Condou. He made his first screen appearance during the episode on 7 September 2007. Marcus departed on 5 September 2008, but returned ...
(
Charlie Condou Charlie Condou, (born 8 January 1973) is a British actor, columnist and LGBT rights activist. Condou secured a series of television movie roles during his teenage years in the 1980s. He later had guest roles in British television series during th ...
), delivered the baby.


Cellar (2008)

Episode 6834, Transmitted: 6 June 2008 In June 2008, Steve McDonald (
Simon Gregson Simon Alan Gregory (born 2 October 1974), better known by his stage name, Simon Gregson, is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Steve McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since 1989. He has rec ...
) and
Dan Mason Dan Mason (born Daniel Grassman; February 9, 1857 – July 6, 1929) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films from 1913 to 1929. He is remembered as the "Skipper" in the "Toonerville Folks ''Toonerville Folks'' ( ''Th ...
( Matthew Crompton) became engaged in a petty feud. Steve believed that Dan scratched his car, which resulted in Steve stealing Dan's mobile phone. At closing time, Dan went to the pub to confront Steve. He ended up hitting Steve by accident. Steve then struck Dan with a crate and threw the mobile down the cellar stairs. When Dan went to retrieve it, Steve locked him in the cellar. Dan, suffering pain from the blow of the crate, fell over in agony on the stairs. Steve, however, had already left and did not hear his shouts for help. The next day,
Michelle Connor Michelle Connor (also McDonald) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by former Hear'Say singer, Kym Marsh. The character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 3 April 2006. Ma ...
(
Kym Marsh Kimberley Gail Ratcliff (''née'' Marsh, previously Ryder and Lomas; born 13 June 1976) is an English actress, television presenter and singer. In 2001, she won a place in the band Hear'Say as a result of appearing on the reality television ser ...
) found Dan and he was rushed to hospital. Steve was arrested for attempted murder and unlawful imprisonment.


Fire (2013)

On 18 March 2013,
Karl Munro Karl Munro is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by John Michie. Michie's casting was announced in April 2011. He signed an initial one-year contract and began filming his scenes in May. Upon joi ...
(
John Michie John Michie (born 25 October 1956) is a Scottish television and film actor, known for his roles as DI Robbie Ross in the STV detective drama series ''Taggart'', as Karl Munro in '' Coronation Street'' from 2011–2013 and his role as CEO Guy ...
) set fire to the pub's cellar to frame
Jason Grimshaw Jason Grimshaw is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Ryan Thomas, the character first appeared on screen on 25 December 2000. It was announced in October 2015 that Thomas had quit the role ...
(
Ryan Thomas Ryan may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia * Division of Ryan, an elec ...
) but was caught by
Sunita Alahan Sunita Alahan (also Parekh) was a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Shobna Gulati. She made her first screen appearance on 23 March 2001 and remained in the show until 2006, when the character ...
(
Shobna Gulati Shobna Gulati (born 7 August 1966)www.shobnagulati.co.uk
Shobna Gulati official website
is an English ...
) who was knocked unconscious by Karl when he fled to the Bistro to do his "Full Monty" act.
Norris Cole Norris Gene Cole II (born October 13, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League. A 6' 2" point guard, he is a two-time NBA champion, winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 with the Miam ...
(
Malcolm Hebden Malcolm Hebden (born 21 December 1939) is an English former actor. He is known for portraying the role of Norris Cole in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' on and off between 1994 and 2020. Aged 81, he announced his retirement from act ...
) and
Emily Bishop Emily Bishop (also Nugent and Swain; originally credited as Miss Nugent) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Eileen Derbyshire, the character is the longest-standing female character in ...
(
Eileen Derbyshire Eileen Derbyshire, MBE (born 6 October 1931) is an English retired actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She played the character for 55 years from January 1961 to January 2 ...
) came into the restaurant to tell everyone about the fire, and Karl discovered Stella was upstairs in one of the pub's bedrooms so he went back in to save her. As he got to her, the stairs collapsed, trapping them. Luckily
Paul Kershaw The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' in 2010, by order of first appearance. Trevor Dean Enid Crump Enid Crump, played by June Broughton, arrives on the Street to confront B ...
(
Tony Hirst Anthony Hirst (born 21 January 1967) is an English actor, theatre director and narrator best known for playing Mike Barnes on the soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and in ''Coronation Street'' as Paul Kershaw, the love interest of Eileen Grimshaw. Hi ...
) managed to get to them and got Stella out while his friend and fellow-firefighter Toni Griffiths (
Tara Moran Kathleen Tara Moran (born 1 June 1971 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an actress. Moran's television debut was in Yorkshire Television's educational history series for schools, '' How We Used to Live''. During the mid-1980s she played Al ...
) got Karl out before the roof collapsed on top of her and killed her. Shortly afterwards the fire brigade arrived, put out the fire and were able to get Sunita out. The fire caused significant damage and caused financial problems for Stella meaning that she could not afford to hire
Owen Armstrong Owen Armstrong is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Ian Puleston-Davies. He made his first on-screen appearance on 9 June 2010 and left the show on 15 April 2015. During his time on the sh ...
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Ian Puleston-Davies Ian Puleston-Davies (born 6 September 1958) is a Welsh actor and writer. He is best known for his role as builder Owen Armstrong in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from 2010 to 2015. In November 2014, ITV announced that Puleston-Dav ...
) to do the refurb but after a failed attempt of offering Owen half the pub in exchange for the refurb, Stella's mother
Gloria Gloria may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music * Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise * Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise ** Gloria (Handel) ** Gloria (Jenkin ...
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Sue Johnston Susan Johnston OBE (née Wright; born 7 December 1943) is an English actress. She is known for portraying Sheila Grant in the Channel 4 soap opera '' Brookside'' (1982–1990), Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy '' The Royle Family'' (1998– ...
) paid him the £80,000 required to complete the work. Sunita was in a coma for a while and was killed by Karl when she began to recover. The Rovers re-opened on 26 May 2013.


Interior set

The Rovers Return set features walls and windows that can be removed to allow filming from different angles. There is a painted backdrop which looks over to the Metcalfes' house, Audrey's salon and the flat above the salon.


See also

* List of businesses in Weatherfield *
John Waite John Charles Waite (born 4 July 1952) is an English musician. As a solo artist, he has released ten studio albums and is best known for the 1984 hit single " Missing You", which reached No. 1 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the top ten on ...
named his 1987 album Rover's Return after the famous meeting place. * The Korgis also had an album track named Rover's Return on their 1980 album Dumb Waiters


Bibliography

* Little, Daran. ''Life and Times at 'The Rovers Return. Boxtree, 1994. * Banham, Martin. ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre''. Cambridge University Press, 1995. page 1067.


References


The Daily Telegraph

Globe and Mail

The Mirror


{{Coronation Street Coronation Street
Rovers Return The Rovers Return Inn is a fictional pub in the long-running British soap opera ''Coronation Street''. The Rovers Return occupies a corner of the fictional Coronation Street and Rosamund Street set location in the show. The pub was built by ...
Fictional elements introduced in 1960