1977 was Coronation Street's eighteenth year.
Main characters
Ranking | Character | Played by | Duration | Number of Episodes | Running total | Previous year's ranking |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Elsie Howard | Patricia Phoenix | Full year | 81 | 1192 | 8 |
2 | Len Fairclough | Peter Adamson | Full year | 78 | 1363 | 1 |
3 | Bet Lynch | Julie Goodyear | Full year | 76 | 572 | 2 |
3 | Hilda Ogden | Jean Alexander | Full year | 76 | 934 | 5 |
5 | Rita Littlewood/Fairclough | Barbara Mullaney|/Knox | Full year | 74 | 406 | 12 |
6 | Ray Langton | Neville Buswell | Full year | 69 | 718 | 5 |
7 | Betty Turpin | Betty Driver | Full year | 68 | 639 | 3 |
8 | Annie Walker | Doris Speed | Full year | 66 | 1341 | 4 |
9 | Ken Barlow | William Roache | Full year | 64 | 1161 | 7 |
9 | Alf Roberts | Bryan Mosley | Full year | 64 | 456 | 9 |
9 | Eddie Yeats | Geoffrey Hughes | Full year | 64 | 146 | 22 |
12 | Deirdre Langton | Anne Kirkbride | Full year | 62 | 294 | 9 |
13 | Mavis Riley | Thelma Barlow | Full year | 61 | 259 | 16 |
14 | Fred Gee | Fred Feast | Full year | 60 | 115 | 18 |
15 | Renee Bradshaw | Madge Hindle | Full year | 59 | 103 | 20 |
16 | Gail Potter | Helen Worth | Full year | 58 | 167 | 9 |
16 | Stan Ogden | Bernard Youens | Full year | 58 | 871 | 15 |
18 | Ernest Bishop | Stephen Hancock | Full year | 57 | 406 | 13 |
19 | Mike Baldwin | Johnny Briggs | Full year | 56 | 72 | 24 |
19 | Emily Bishop | Eileen Derbyshire | Full year | 56 | 968 | 13 |
19 | Albert Tatlock | Jack Howarth | Full year | 56 | 1027 | 17 |
22 | Suzie Birchall | Cheryl Murray | From January | 54 | 54 | - |
23 | Tracy Langton | Christabel Finch | From January | 40 | 40 | - |
24 | Ena Sharples | Violet Carson | Until August | 32 | 1066 | 21 |
25 | Vera Duckworth | Elizabeth Dawn | Full year | 17 | 24 | 27 |
26 | Ivy Tilsley | Lynne Perrie | Full year | 16 | 55 | 28 |
27 | Steve Fisher | Lawrence Mullin | From August | 14 | 14 | - |
27 | Derek Wilton | Peter Baldwin | April, July to August and November to December | 14 | 26 | 25 |
29 | Blanche Hunt | Maggie Jones | January to February and May to June | 10 | 90 | 26 |
30 | Peter Barlow | Joseph McKenna | August to September | 6 | 35 | - |
31 | Janet Barlow | Judith Barker | February only | 3 | 71 | - |
31 | Billy Walker | Kenneth Farrington | October only | 3 | 328 | - |
33 | Alan Howard | Alan Browning | July only | 1 | 256 | - |
Production
After being appointed the programme's producer in 1976, Bill Podmore spent his first full year in the role. Two former producers, June Howson and Leslie Duxbury, served as relief for Podmore for episodes 1738 to 1739 and 1744 to 1747, respectively. The other episodes were produced by Podmore, who would remain in the role until Episode 2269, broadcast on 29th December 1982 - a record-breaking run which has been unmatched since.
Three new younger characters were introduced. One was Tracy Langton, daughter of Ray and Deirdre. Tracy was the first baby born in Coronation Street since 1965, and actress Christabel Finch the first child in the cast since the Barlows twins were written out in 1971. Unlike the twins whose appearances in the late 1960s were kept to a minimum, a conscious decision was made to feature Tracy as much as possible. The other arrivals were Suzie Birchall and Steve Fisher, who along with Gail Potter made up the programme's trio of teenagers.
Alongside the programme's on-screen celebration of the Queen's Silver Jubilee, almost all of the main cast appeared in a skit written by John Stevenson in a Jubilee variety show at Manchester's Palace Theatre.
Viewing figures
TAM/AGB (see Viewing Figures) changed their publishing method on 1st August. On that date, they abandoned their previous system of measuring viewers in terms of number of homes watching, and went over to number of viewers.
The early part of the year saw ratings climb to their highest levels since 1965, with five episodes gaining over twenty million viewers. The last of these - seen by 20.85 million viewers, the biggest audience of the decade - was Episode 1697 on 20th April, which saw Len Fairclough and Rita Littlewood finally tie the knot after a five-year on-again/off-again relationship. Six months gained on the same intervals in 1976, all but one of which were in the first half of the year. The last quarter of the year was over a million down on 1976 but the strong performance in the early months were enough to elevate the yearly average to 15.88 million viewers, the second-highest of the 1970s after 1970 and an increase of nearly 500,000 viewers on 1976.
Nine episodes reached number one in the viewing charts, the most since 1971 and an increase of eight from 1976. This number would steadily increase over the next few years as Coronation Street regained its position as the UK's top-rated programme for the majority of the year.
Episodes
# | Ep. No. |
Date | Writer | Director | Viewing Figures (homes, until August/ viewers) |
Chart Position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1666 | Monday 3rd January | John Stevenson | Alan Bromly | 7,600,000 16,720,000 |
13 |
2 | 1667 | Wednesday 5th January | Julian Roach | Alan Bromly | 8,550,000 18,810,000 |
2 |
3 | 1668 | Monday 10th January | Adele Rose | June Wyndham Davies | 8,950,000 19,690,000 |
4 |
4 | 1669 | Wednesday 12th January | H.V. Kershaw | June Wyndham Davies | 8,900,000 19,580,000 |
6 |
5 | 1670 | Monday 17th January | Paula Milne | John Black | 8,900,000 19,580,000 |
3 |
6 | 1671 | Wednesday 19th January | Brian Finch | John Black | 8,800,000 19,360,000 |
4 |
7 | 1672 | Monday 24th January | Kay McManus | Laurence Moody | 8,800,000 19,360,000 |
5 |
8 | 1673 | Wednesday 26th January | Leslie Duxbury | Laurence Moody | 8,800,000 19,360,000 |
5 |
9 | 1674 | Monday 31st January | Leslie Duxbury | Alan Bromly | 9,050,000 19,910,000 |
2 |
10 | 1675 | Wednesday 2nd February | H.V. Kershaw | Alan Bromly | 8,800,000 19,360,000 |
4 |
11 | 1676 | Monday 7th February | John Stevenson | Quentin Lawrence | 8,950,000 19,690,000 |
2 |
12 | 1677 | Wednesday 9th February | Barry Hill | Quentin Lawrence | 8,650,000 19,030,000 |
5 |
13 | 1678 | Monday 14th February | Adele Rose | Laurence Moody | 9,000,000 19,800,000 |
3 |
14 | 1679 | Wednesday 16th February | Brian Finch | Laurence Moody | 8,650,000 19,030,000 |
5 |
15 | 1680 | Monday 21st February | Brian Finch | Oliver Horsbrugh | 9,250,000 20,350,000 |
2 |
16 | 1681 | Wednesday 23rd February | H.V. Kershaw | Oliver Horsbrugh | 9,050,000 19,910,000 |
6 |
17 | 1682 | Monday 28th February | Adele Rose | Quentin Lawrence | 9,050,000 19,910,000 |
2 |
18 | 1683 | Wednesday 2nd March | Janey Preger | Quentin Lawrence | 9,000,000 19,800,000 |
3 |
19 | 1684 | Monday 7th March | Kenneth Eastaugh | Bill Gilmour | 9,150,000 20,130,000 |
4 |
20 | 1685 | Wednesday 9th March | Leslie Duxbury | Bill Gilmour | 8,400,000 18,480,000 |
7 |
21 | 1686 | Monday 14th March | Leslie Duxbury | John Black | 9,100,000 20,020,000 |
2 |
22 | 1687 | Wednesday 16th March | H.V. Kershaw | John Black | 8,300,000 18,260,000 |
6 |
23 | 1688 | Monday 21st March | Peter Tonkinson | Oliver Horsbrugh | 8,850,000 19,470,000 |
3 |
24 | 1689 | Wednesday 23rd March | Adele Rose | Oliver Horsbrugh | 8,550,000 18,810,000 |
4 |
25 | 1690 | Monday 28th March | John Stevenson | Quentin Lawrence | 9,144,000 20,116,800 |
1 |
26 | 1691 | Wednesday 30th March | Brian Finch | Quentin Lawrence | 8,587,000 18,891,400 |
4 |
27 | 1692 | Monday 4th April | Adele Rose | June Wyndham Davies | 8,883,000 19,542,600 |
2 |
28 | 1693 | Wednesday 6th April | Paula Milne | June Wyndham Davies | 8,200,000 18,040,000 |
4 |
29 | 1694 | Monday 11th April | John Stevenson | Laurence Moody | 5,902,000 12,984,400 |
n/k |
30 | 1695 | Wednesday 13th April | H.V. Kershaw | Laurence Moody | 8,483,000 18,662,600 |
3 |
31 | 1696 | Monday 18th April | Leslie Duxbury | Stephen Butcher | 8,731,000 19,208,200 |
4 |
32 | 1697 | Wednesday 20th April | Brian Finch | Stephen Butcher | 9,478,000 20,851,600 |
1 |
33 | 1698 | Monday 25th April | John Stevenson | June Wyndham Davies | 8,680,000 19,096,000 |
4 |
34 | 1699 | Wednesday 27th April | Brian Finch | June Wyndham Davies | 8,841,000 19,450,200 |
2 |
35 | 1700 | Monday 2nd May | Kay McManus | Laurence Moody | 8,097,000 17,813,400 |
6 |
36 | 1701 | Wednesday 4th May | H.V. Kershaw | Laurence Moody | 8,120,000 17,864,000 |
5 |
37 | 1702 | Monday 9th May | Adele Rose | Philip Draycott | 8,443,000 18,574,600 |
1 |
38 | 1703 | Wednesday 11th May | Leslie Duxbury | Philip Draycott | 7,628,000 16,781,600 |
5 |
39 | 1704 | Monday 16th May | Brian Finch | Stephen Butcher | 8,211,000 18,064,200 |
1 |
40 | 1705 | Wednesday 18th May | Paula Milne | Stephen Butcher | 7,135,000 15,697,000 |
8 |
41 | 1706 | Monday 23rd May | Barry Hill | Laurence Moody | 8,032,000 17,670,400 |
3 |
42 | 1707 | Wednesday 25th May | Adele Rose | Laurence Moody | 5,345,000 11,759,000 |
n/k |
43 | 1708 | Monday 30th May | H.V. Kershaw | Philip Draycott | 7,627,000 16,779,400 |
1 |
44 | 1709 | Wednesday 1st June | Leslie Duxbury | Philip Draycott | 6,848,000 15,065,600 |
4 |
45 | 1710 | Monday 6th June | Julian Roach | Bill Gilmour | 5,409,000 11,899,800 |
n/k |
46 | 1711 | Wednesday 8th June | John Stevenson | Bill Gilmour | 6,420,000 14,124,000 |
9 |
47 | 1712 | Monday 13th June | David Crane | Laurence Moody | 7,776,000 17,107,200 |
1 |
48 | 1713 | Wednesday 15th June | Brian Finch | Laurence Moody | 7,079,000 15,573,800 |
7 |
49 | 1714 | Monday 20th June | H.V. Kershaw | Philip Draycott | 7,439,000 16,365,800 |
1 |
50 | 1715 | Wednesday 22nd June | Leslie Duxbury | Philip Draycott | 6,350,000 13,970,000 |
7 |
51 | 1716 | Monday 27th June | Janey Preger | Bill Gilmour | 7,350,000 16,170,000 |
1 |
52 | 1717 | Wednesday 29th June | H.V. Kershaw | Bill Gilmour | 6,550,000 14,410,000 |
6 |
53 | 1718 | Monday 4th July | Adele Rose | Laurence Moody | 6,400,000 14,080,000 |
3 |
54 | 1719 | Wednesday 6th July | Leslie Duxbury | Laurence Moody | 5,500,000 12,100,000 |
18 |
55 | 1720 | Monday 11th July | Julian Roach | Stephen Butcher | 6,550,000 14,410,000 |
5 |
56 | 1721 | Wednesday 13th July | John Stevenson | Stephen Butcher | 6,300,000 13,860,000 |
11 |
57 | 1722 | Monday 18th July | H.V. Kershaw | Bill Gilmour | 7,000,000 15,400,000 |
3 |
58 | 1723 | Wednesday 20th July | Barry Hill | Bill Gilmour | 6,050,000 13,310,000 |
13 |
59 | 1724 | Monday 25th July | John Stevenson | June Howson | 6,850,000 15,070,000 |
1 |
60 | 1725 | Wednesday 27th July | Leslie Duxbury | June Howson | 5,600,000 12,320,000 |
17 |
61 | 1726 | Monday 1st August | Adele Rose | Oliver Horsbrugh | 10,915,000 | 8 |
62 | 1727 | Wednesday 3rd August | Julian Roach | Oliver Horsbrugh | 10,306,000 | 16 |
63 | 1728 | Monday 8th August | H.V. Kershaw | Tristan de Vere Cole | 12,738,000 | 2 |
64 | 1729 | Wednesday 10th August | John Stevenson | Tristan de Vere Cole | 11,217,000 | 7 |
65 | 1730 | Monday 15th August | Brian Finch | Darrol Blake | 11,841,000 | 10 |
66 | 1731 | Wednesday 17th August | Kay McManus | Darrol Blake | 12,251,000 | 9 |
67 | 1732 | Monday 22nd August | Leslie Duxbury | Jeremy Summers | 12,604,000 | 6 |
68 | 1733 | Wednesday 24th August | Julian Roach | Jeremy Summers | 11,660,000 | 11 |
69 | 1734 | Monday 29th August | H.V. Kershaw | Stephen Butcher Laurence Moody |
10,525,000 | n/k |
70 | 1735 | Wednesday 31st August | Brian Finch | Stephen Butcher Laurence Moody |
12,728,000 | 11 |
71 | 1736 | Monday 5th September | John Stevenson | Tristan de Vere Cole | 12,820,000 | 13 |
72 | 1737 | Wednesday 7th September | Adele Rose | Tristan de Vere Cole | 12,798,000 | 14 |
73 | 1738 | Monday 12th September | Leslie Duxbury | Marek Kanievska | 12,057,000 | 16 |
74 | 1739 | Wednesday 14th September | Julian Roach | Marek Kanievska | 12,111,000 | 15 |
75 | 1740 | Monday 19th September | H.V. Kershaw | Philip Draycott | 13,492,000 | 8 |
76 | 1741 | Wednesday 21st September | John Stevenson | Philip Draycott | 12,813,000 | 17 |
77 | 1742 | Monday 26th September | Leslie Duxbury | Roger Cheveley | 13,887,000 | 8 |
78 | 1743 | Wednesday 28th September | Adele Rose | Roger Cheveley | 12,592,000 | n/k |
79 | 1744 | Monday 3rd October | Janey Preger | Oliver Horsbrugh | 14,740,000 | 2 |
80 | 1745 | Wednesday 5th October | Julian Roach | Oliver Horsbrugh | 12,767,000 | 17 |
81 | 1746 | Monday 10th October | Adele Rose | Matthew Robinson | 14,288,000 | 5 |
82 | 1747 | Wednesday 12th October | H.V. Kershaw | Matthew Robinson | 12,328,000 | n/k |
83 | 1748 | Monday 17th October | Barry Hill | Colin Richards | 14,818,000 | 4 |
84 | 1749 | Wednesday 19th October | John Stevenson | Roger Cheveley | 12,731,000 | 20 |
85 | 1750 | Monday 24th October | Leslie Duxbury | Oliver Horsbrugh | 15,011,000 | 4 |
86 | 1751 | Wednesday 26th October | Leslie Duxbury | Oliver Horsbrugh | 13,162,000 | 19 |
87 | 1752 | Monday 31st October | John Stevenson | Matthew Robinson | 14,350,000 | 5 |
88 | 1753 | Wednesday 2nd November | Julian Roach | Matthew Robinson | 12,900,000 | 13 |
89 | 1754 | Monday 7th November | H.V. Kershaw | Colin Richards | 16,150,000 | 3 |
90 | 1755 | Wednesday 9th November | Kay McManus | Colin Richards | 13,450,000 | 18 |
91 | 1756 | Monday 14th November | Leslie Duxbury | Jonathan Wright-Miller | 15,500,000 | 9 |
92 | 1757 | Wednesday 16th November | Brian Finch | Jonathan Wright-Miller | 15,800,000 | 7 |
93 | 1758 | Monday 21st November | Julian Roach | Jeremy Summers | 15,950,000 | 8 |
94 | 1759 | Wednesday 23rd November | Paula Milne | Jeremy Summers | 16,350,000 | 6 |
95 | 1760 | Monday 28th November | Brian Finch | Colin Richards | 16,600,000 | 7 |
96 | 1761 | Wednesday 30th November | Leslie Duxbury | Colin Richards | 16,000,000 | 10 |
97 | 1762 | Monday 5th December | John Stevenson | Roger Cheveley | 16,550,000 | 9 |
98 | 1763 | Wednesday 7th December | H.V. Kershaw | Roger Cheveley | 15,700,000 | 16 |
99 | 1764 | Monday 12th December | Leslie Duxbury | Jeremy Summers | 16,300,000 | 5 |
100 | 1765 | Wednesday 14th December | Adele Rose | Jeremy Summers | 16,250,000 | 7 |
101 | 1766 | Monday 19th December | Paula Milne | Colin Richards | 16,500,000 | 6 |
102 | 1767 | Wednesday 21st December | John Stevenson | Colin Richards | 15,250,000 | 10 |
103 | 1768 | Monday 26th December | H.V. Kershaw | Roger Cheveley | 8,564,000 | n/k |
104 | 1769 | Wednesday 28th December | Brian Finch | Roger Cheveley | 16,210,000 | 6 |
Storylines
Who lives where
Coronation Street
- Rovers Return Inn - Annie Walker and Fred Gee.
- 1 Coronation Street - Albert Tatlock and Ken Barlow.
- 3 Coronation Street - Ernest and Emily Bishop.
- 5 Coronation Street - Mike Baldwin and Bet Lynch (until March). Ray, Deirdre and Tracy Langton (from March).
- 9 Coronation Street - Len Fairclough. Rita Fairclough (from April).
- 11 Coronation Street - Elsie Tanner and Gail Potter. Suzie Birchall (from February).
- 13 Coronation Street - Stan and Hilda Ogden.
- Corner Shop (No.15) - Renee Bradshaw.
- Corner Shop flat (No.15a) - Bet Lynch (from March).
- Community Centre flat - Ena Sharples
- The Kabin flat - Rita Littlewood (until April). Mavis Riley (from May).
- 20 Victoria Street - Ray and Deirdre Langton (until March). Tracy Langton (from January to March).
Others
- 37 Hillside Crescent - Betty Turpin.
- Inkerman Street - Ivy Tilsley, Vera Duckworth.
- 23 Jubilee Terrace - Mavis Riley (until May).
Coronation Street in the 1970s |
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