Plot
Sheila Crossley writes to the Bishops to say that she's coming to stay with them as Neil and Danny have gone off together on a father-son fishing trip. Giving them little notice, she drives up from Sheffield that day. Ernie isn't happy about the set-up as he barely knows her. Granny wants the shop to be called "M and I Hopkins" and asks Ray to repaint the sign over the premises but Vera wants "V and M Hopkins". Rita doesn't tell Len that she's finished with Jimmy Graham. Ray starts picking on Deirdre again when Billy goes touring car auctions. The Ogdens return by train and sneak into No.13 through the back, making sure that nobody sees them. Jerry is shocked to hear that Sheila is on her way up. The Ogdens come into the Rovers in their cycling gear, not knowing that all the regulars have heard from Ray that they didn't go on their bike. No one lets on. Sheila arrives, planning to stay for a week. Idris backs Vera over the shop sign. Mavis starts to feel uncomfortable about Shelia's presence in the area when she hears of hers and Jerry's past from Hilda. Jerry is wary of Sheila when she comes into the Rovers to catch up with everyone. Stan hears from Syd Greaves that the tandem was delivered back to the Street and left with someone but he doesn't know who. Ray has kept the tandem at the Builder's Yard and sprays the black paint white in an effort to set the Ogdens up.
Cast
Regular cast
- Emily Bishop - Eileen Derbyshire
- Ernest Bishop - Stephen Hancock
- Ray Langton - Neville Buswell
- Granny Hopkins - Jessie Evans
- Deirdre Hunt - Anne Kirkbride
- Rita Littlewood - Barbara Mullaney
- Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson
- Mavis Riley - Thelma Barlow
- Jerry Booth - Graham Haberfield
- Vera Hopkins - Kathy Staff
- Hilda Ogden - Jean Alexander
- Stan Ogden - Bernard Youens
- Betty Turpin - Betty Driver
- Bet Lynch - Julie Goodyear
- Idris Hopkins - Richard Davies
- Sheila Crossley - Eileen Mayers
Guest cast
None
Places
- Coronation Street - Ginnel
- Rovers Return Inn - Public/snug
- 3 Coronation Street - Back room
- 13 Coronation Street - Front bedroom and yard
- Corner Shop
- The Kabin
- Fairclough, Langton and Booth
Notes
- First appearance of Sheila Crossley since 12th November 1969.
- The scenes on the Grape Street set were recorded on Outside Broadcast video.
- Len Fairclough introduces Betty Turpin to Sheila Crossley across the bar of the Rovers as if it was the first time they had met, but the two were present in the same scene in Episode 927 (12th November 1969).
- Len mentions his visit to Scarborough as the last time he and Sheila saw each other. This occurred in Episode 888 (25th June 1969).
- The end credits play over the last scene of Ray Langton spray-painting the Ogdens' tandem.
- For the first time in the series, no members of the original 1960 cast are present. Sheila Crossley is, in fact, the oldest character to appear in this episode, having debuted in Episode 8 (4th January 1961).
- TV Times synopsis: Stan and Hilda return - but where's their tandem?
- Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 7,013,000 homes (3rd place).
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