February 1970 - And Wendy Makes Four

It's February 1970 and the nation's favourite soap is once again the nation's most watched programme. Episode 951, Wednesday 4th February, features local gossip Hilda Ogden discovering that her good-for-nothing husband Stan had not been doing his nightshifts at the local bakery, so she anonymously rings the bakery to tip them off, causing Stan to be suspended for a night. Elsewhere Emily Nugent was sneaking into Len's builder's yard to see his tender (not a euphemism I assume!), only to be surprised that he had managed to lower the price.

The following week's most watched programme was still on Wednesday night (11th February) but was once again This Is Your Life. The celebrity being surprised this week, in a photography studio on this occasion, was actress Wendy Craig, who became particularly famous for the sitcom And Mother Makes Three/Five.

Wendy was joined by actor Dirk Bogarde and comedian and singer Harry Secombe among others.

But This Is Your Life only topped the chart once this month, the other three subjects, a sculptor, a golfer and a clown, failing to stimulate a higher audience than the Street, so we head back to Salford now.

In episode 955, Wednesday 18th February, the highest rated episode overall of 1970, miserly pensioner has been holding a siege in his house, number 1, for some reason, and policeman Cyril Turpin, husband of then-future hotpot queen Betty-Love Turpin, must find a way to get in and end the siege without breaking the law or involving his on-duty police colleagues. Elsewhere street siren Elsie Tanner's old flame Bill Gregory has turned up after leaving about 8 years previously, and wants to rekindle things with Elsie, who is already dating Alan Howard. Len, another of Elsie's old flames, encourages Bill, as competion for Alan, and offers to let him stay with him at number 9, Meanwhile Annie is trying to deduce which of her regulars or contacts sent her a large anonymous Valentines card. The episode ends with Bill explaining to Elsie that his wife Phyllis had died some years previously, and that he is a free man and therefore will she marry him?

A rather shortened version of this episode can be seen here, though the full episode is available on the Network DVD 1970s boxset.

In episode 957, Wednesday 25th February, Bill is leaving and has asked Elsie to decide whether to come with him or not, whilst Alan asks her not to go.

Elsewhere Annie had fallen down a hole in the street the previous night, due to Ray and the Flemings (a young couple living at no3 in 1970) removing the red warning light from it, and was threatening to report Ben, the nightwatchman, however never-off-duty copper Cyril investigates and gets to the bottom of things.

February 1970 Summary

W/C 02/02/1970 Coronation Street (Ep 951, Granada Television, Wed 4th Feb 19:30, 8.65m)
http://coronationstreet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_951_(4th_February_1970)

W/C 09/02/1970 This Is Your Life (Wendy Craig, Wed 11th Feb, somewhere between 8.5m and 8.9m)

W/C 16/02/1970 Coronation Street (Ep 955, Granada Television, Wed 18th Feb 19:30, 8.85m)
http://coronationstreet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_955_(18th_February_1970)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQR1Lx-7N-k

W/C 23/02/1970 Coronation Street (Ep 957, Granada Television, Wed 25th Feb 19:30, 8.75m)
http://coronationstreet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_957_(25th_February_1970)