Happy 89th birthday today to Eileen Derbyshire MBE, better known, of course as the "Great Earth Mother" of Coronation Street Emily Bishop!
Having first set foot on the cobbles in January 1961, barely one month after the UK's favourite (and most enduring) soap was launched, she spent 55 years portraying the kindly-yet-strong Emily (until she took what was meant to be a "short hiatus" from the show in 2016, making but one brief appearance since (via Skype) to wish fellow long-serving character Ken Barlow (William Roache) a happy 80th in 2019). She holds the record as the longest-serving female cast member in a British TV soap opera.
During her time as Emily, her character had a torrid fling with a Hungarian, worked behind the bar at The Rovers Return, married twice (and widowed twice) and ditched poor Arnold Swindley (Arthur Lowe, later famous as Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army) at the altar, had two men attempt to murder her, had a nervous breakdown, took in no end of colourful lodgers over the years (Percy, Norris, Curly, Tracy, Freda, and her own nephew Spider, with whom she became a bit of an "eco-warrior"), had several spats with fellow regulars in the pub (despite her perceived gentle God-fearing character)...
...and remained the friend and confidante of all the main characters, from Betty to Deirdre to Gail to Alma to to Rita, for decades.
Personally, I wish they'd write her back in, even if for a short while, but at nearly 90, I guess a lady deserves her retirement.
Of course, all Emily really wanted was to be stormy, passionate and tempestuous!
Many happy returns, Emily!
Anyone who can tolerate Norris Cole in their household is a saint.
ReplyDeleteBefore that, she had the interfering old goat Percy Sugden to deal with. Saint, indeed. Jx
DeleteI haven't watched Corrie in years - that "group photo" at the Rovers bar takes me back...
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've actually watched it since Alf Roberts dropped dead in the armchair. That was 1999. Jx
DeleteI remember Doris Speed ("Annie Walker") who used to telephone, saying "This is Mrs Walker from the Street and I'd like you to..." whatever she wanted doing. Poor old girl really thought she was her character.
ReplyDeleteMyself and 2 daft friends went to a pub one night dressed as Ena, Minnie and Martha.
Doris Speed was well known in select circles as "The Queen of the Dykes", apparently. She was presumably used to getting her own way... Jx
DeletePS I'd love to see the Ena, Minnie and Martha photos!
I love Corrie - I am watching the Classic Corrie episodes on ITV3 and pretending that I'm still living in the 90's.
ReplyDeleteEmily is a brilliant character, how she dealt with Mavis is something to behold.
Sx
She is a great character, indeed - and I am sure the show is far worse without her, Norris, and all the game-for-a-laugh older characters like Bet and Mavis and Vera (RIP). Jx
DeleteCorrie was full of great characters and great actors and Eileen Derbyshire MBE is up there with the best.
ReplyDeleteI would like to add how much I would love to see dinahmow's photos of Ena, Minnie and Martha too.
Sadly, this quality breed of character actresses is a rarer and rarer thing these days. Jx
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