The Road to Coronation Street

In 1960 a former child actor with writing ambitions,Mancunian Tony Warren begins submitting television scripts for ‘Shadow Squad’ to progressive Canadian producer Harry Elton,who wants to nurture local talent. Tony,however,is keen to sell a drama he has written about real Northerners,called ‘Florizel Street’,after a picture of Prince Florizel in his office. Harry is supportive but Granada studio boss Sidney Bernstein is lukewarm,feeling it is seedy and unglamorous. Fortunately his brother Cecil sees the virtue in cheaply made studio drama with local actors and,with writer Harry Kershaw and director Derek Bennett on board,the street’s residents are cast. Thirteen episodes are commissioned but the pivotal character of battle-axe Ena Sharples is proving impossible to cast until Tony brings in a cantankerous old actress from his radio days – Violet Carson. She is perfect. Less perfect is the title,which the tea lady says sounds like disinfectant. A new title must be found quickly – and so ‘Coronation Street’ is born.