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Raquel Catherine Watts (née Wolstenhulme) was a long-serving barmaid at the Rovers Return and the first wife of Curly Watts, with whom she had a daughter, Alice Watts.

Raquel met Curly when she worked under him at Bettabuy supermarket. She started at the Rovers in 1992 when she was taken under Bet Gilroy's wing, spending the next four years pulling pints while taking on the occasional modelling assignment. Her ultimate goal was to model for a big designer. For most of her time in Coronation Street, Raquel only thought of Curly as a friend although he loved her from afar. It was only when on/off lover Des Barnes continually cheated on her and used her that Raquel became attracted to Curly as she knew he would respect her, however, this never provided a solid foundation for a marriage and in 1996 Raquel walked out on Curly to go for an aromatherapy job in Kuala Lumpur.

Raquel gave birth to Alice after her split from Curly and eventually settled in France as the housekeeper of Armand de Beaux. In 2000, pregnant with Armand's baby, she made a brief return to Weatherfield to ask Curly for a divorce so she could marry Armand, also telling Curly about his daughter's existence.

Raquel was noted for her naivety and her dim-wittedness, but also her desire to better herself and also seeing the best in people.

Biography[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
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Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

Personality[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

Background information[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.
Episode 3178

Raquel's (far right) first, and uncredited, appearance in Episode 3178 (23rd January 1991)

Sarah Lancashire made her first credited appearance as Raquel in Episode 3179 (25th January 1991), however she was seen in the distance stood behind the Bettabuy meat counter in the previous episode.

Lancashire was nominated for Most Popular Actress at the National Television Awards in 1996, but lost out to Dervla Kirwan from Ballykissangel.

Lancashire left the role the same year, however returned in 2000 to be part of a Coronation Street first - participating in the programme's first two-hander along with Kevin Kennedy as Curly Watts. This forty-five minute episode, broadcast on 2nd January 2000, was unusual in that it had no input from the storylining team. This was Lancashire's final contribution to the programme.

The character of Raquel continued to be mentioned after her final appearance. In 2002, when Bet Lynch returned to the street, she told Vera Duckworth she still heard from Raquel now and again and that she was happy with her French husband and children at a Chateau.

First and last lines[]

"The number is.... the number is 986." (First line, to Bettabuy raffle ticketholders)

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"I'm going to be, after tonight. You will be too I hope. Promise me." (Final line, to Curly Watts)

Appendices[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

List of addresses[]

Address Duration
6 Coronation Street 6th January 1992 to 4th May 1992
Rovers Return Inn 4th May 1992 to 2nd March 1994
6 Coronation Street 2nd March to 29th June 1994
Rovers Return Inn 29th June 1994 to 18th December 1995
7 Coronation Street 18th December 1995 to 15th November 1996
Kuala Lumpur 15th November 1996 to mid-1997
London mid to late-1997
Chateau Armand, Loire Valley, France late-1997 onwards

See also[]

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