Episode 1983 (2nd April 1980)

Episode 1983
Production code	P694/983
ITV transmission date	2nd April 1980 (Wednesday)
Stories by	Peter Tonkinson Esther Rose
Writer	Barry Hill
Designer	Eric Deakins
Director	Roger Jenkins
Producer	Bill Podmore
Navigation
Previous episode	31st March 1980
Next episode	7th April 1980

Plot

Vera tells Alf and Renee that Ida is challenging Ivy for the stop steward job. Albert doesn't like Ena staying at No.1 and urges Ken to get her flat ready quickly. Belshaw's send Len a cheque. Eddie can now get his £30 owing but Len refuses him a bonus for getting the money for him. Ivy and Ida bicker over the sewing machines about the election. Mike is nervous about who will win. Deirdre is despondent that work is slow to come in. Flying Horse landlord Tony Hayes has challenged Fred to a barbershop competition with the Rovers and he tries to find a quartet. Renee pushes Alf to volunteer. The atmosphere in the sewing room is bad and Pauline suggests the vote is held at dinner time. Ida wants the election to be a secret ballot. Eddie agrees to join Fred and Alf in the quartet but Len refuses. Albert is pleased with a potato pie that Ena bakes but they continue to argue. She makes him do the washing-up. Bert agrees to be the final member of the quartet. The ballot papers are filled in for the election. Ivy worries about the result. Annie reminds Fred that the good name of the Rovers is at stake. Fred sets up the competition for next Monday. The men are horrified. They practice, singing Sweet Adeline, amusing Elsie and the regulars with their poor performance. Ena points out that Fred is the one out of key. The others agree and drop him and they instantly improve. Pauline gives the results: Ida gets 14 votes but Ivy wins with 17. The two make up. Ken tells Albert that the decorators won't be starting on Ena's flat until after Easter. He breaks the news to her when she comes back from the pub. Ena angrily tells Ken that he and the committee have messed her about for long enough. She announces that she is going back to Henry Foster in St Annes and threatens not to return. Albert is delighted. Fred and Alf realise there's nothing in the rules which says the quartet must all be men and press gang Renee into joining them after Rita refuses.

Cast

Regular cast

• Alf Roberts - Bryan Mosley
• Vera Duckworth - Elizabeth Dawn
• Renee Roberts - Madge Hindle
• Ivy Tilsley - Lynne Perrie
• Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson
• Mike Baldwin - Johnny Briggs
• Rita Fairclough - Barbara Knox
• Deirdre Langton - Anne Kirkbride
• Fred Gee - Fred Feast
• Betty Turpin - Betty Driver
• Ken Barlow - William Roache
• Annie Walker - Doris Speed
• Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix
• Ena Sharples - Violet Carson
• Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth
• Ida Clough - Helene Palmer
• Bert Tilsley - Peter Dudley
• Eddie Yeats - Geoffrey Hughes (Uncredited)

Guest cast

• Pauline Stringer - Patricia Browning

Places

• Rovers Return Inn - Public
• 1 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway
• Corner Shop
• Baldwin's Casuals - Sewing room and office
• Builder's Yard - Office and yard

Notes

• Final appearance of Violet Carson as Ena Sharples.
• TV Times synopsis: The Rovers' Barber Shop Quartet is one man short - who'll fill the gap? Meanwhile, the factory girls vote for an official shop steward…
• Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 17,861,000 viewers (2nd place).
• The Granada Plus repeat of this episode on 9th April 1998 was edited down for timing reasons and omitted the latter 24" of the scene in Part Two when the shop steward election results are announced, the first 28" seconds of the following scene where Ken Barlow tells Albert Tatlock that the community centre won't be finished until after Easter, and the final 9" of the same scene, thus omitting the final words ever said by Violet Carson as Ena Sharples in the series - "I don't suppose either of you thought of puttin' the kettle on, did yer?" - and Albert laughing at the thought of her imminent departure. A last edit was the first 10" of the final scene in the corner shop.

Notable dialogue

Vera Duckworth (about Ida Clough): "I think she's gone a bit power-mad yer know, since we let her decide what to have on t'sandwiches."

---

Annie Walker: "Sweet Adeline? Do you know, Fred, I think I've underestimated you. That is an excellent choice. I suppose it was the rich Edwardian flavour you've gone for?"
Fred Gee: "Well no, it's not that exactly, Mrs. Walker - it's the only music I could find, see."

---

Ena Sharples (to Ken Barlow): "I've been mucked up by you and your committee for long enough. I'll be the one to say when I come back. If I come back."
Albert Tatlock: "What d'yer mean, "if" you come back?"
Ena Sharples: "I'm fast coming to the conclusion, Albert Tatlock, that the air up there is much more to my liking than it is round 'ere these days - an' you can take that any way you like. I don't suppose either of you thought of puttin' the kettle on, did yer?" (Final lines in series - see Granada Plus note above)