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ChristmasCorrie

A Christmas Corrie was a sketch created for ITV's second annual Text Santa fundraising evening, broadcast on 21st December 2012 to raise money for six UK charities. The story was based on Charles Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol, and featured several deceased characters returning as ghosts visiting Norris Cole in the role of the Street's own Scrooge. The sketch was broadcast in two eight-minute parts during the main Text Santa programme on ITV1 at 8.00pm, and repeated later the same evening in a highlights show at midnight.

The mini-episode was written by Simon Crowther, Damon Rochefort, Susan Oudot and Julie Jones, directed by Kay Patrick, and produced by Kate Oates.

Plot[]

On Christmas Eve, Gary Windass and Chesney Brown dress as elves to help Tina McIntyre, Stella and Eva Price raise money for a worthy cause at the Rovers' festive fundraising party. Everyone gives generously with one exception - Norris Cole, who prefers to attend a swanky WARTs' affair for self-promotion purposes, and orders Rita and Dennis Tanner to stay late at The Kabin to complete a stock-take by counting sherbet pips. Dev Alahan and Ryan Connor share DJ duties as the street party gathers momentum and Torvill & Dean drop by for a dance. Later, tucked up in bed at No.3, Norris is disturbed by the noise from the festivities and awaits the arrival of the police who close down the Rovers indefinitely, arresting Stella for having no licence for the party. Satisfied, Norris returns to bed but is startled by the appearance of a ghostly Mike Baldwin who warns him of further visitors throughout the night, all aiming to change Norris's curmudgeonly ways. First is Maxine Peacock, the Ghost of Christmas Past, who takes Norris back to Christmas Eve 1948 to see himself as a young boy disappointing his mother and grandparents by refusing to give a group of carol-singing orphans any money. Next, Derek Wilton, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows Norris the misery he has created in the Windass and Grimshaw households by getting the Rovers closed down on Christmas Day 2012. Finally, the Ghost of Christmases-to-Come - in the form of Vera Duckworth - shows Norris a future Christmas where the residents gather to celebrate Norris's death at a wake in the Rovers. Upset by seeing all his neighbours - plus close friends Rita and Emily Bishop - rejoicing in his demise proves the last straw for Norris. Back in the present, Christmas Day dawns and Norris is reborn, dropping his complaint to the police, securing Stella's release from the cells and allowing the Rovers to reopen for business. The residents are amazed when Norris giddily declares that he's discovered the true meaning of Christmas and all their drinks are on him.

Cast[]

Guest cast[]

  • Party Dancers - Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean
  • Police Officer - Lorraine Kelly
  • Police Officer (Madge Harvey) - Sheila Reid
  • Themselves - Little Mix

Notes[]

  • William Tarmey was originally due to reprise his role as Jack Duckworth for the special, however he passed away on 9th November 2012 before he could film his scenes. Instead, archive audio of Jack's voice was heard by his on-screen wife Vera.
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