Doctor Who Vs. Coronation Street @ 65, Part 9: 1983-1989

The Street's longest-serving producer, Bill Podmore,

stood down in late 1982, just as

the new edgy, soap opera Brookside launched

on the fledgling Channel 4. Although the rival

show never matched Corrie in popularity or

ratings, the Liverpool-based series did make 

the Street appear dated again.

Mervyn Watson's producership would result

in much behind-the-scenes turmoil, but the

Deirdre Barlow and Mike Baldwin affair story-

line proved to be the most successful to date.

By 1985, many of the programme's core cast

had left, including all of the original cast (bar

William Roache), then the BBC launched its

own flagship serial drama, the twice-weekly

EastEnders. Despite retaining its audience,

Corrie was accused of being old fashioned

yet again, and another new producer, John

Temple, oversaw a makeover.

The return of Podmore for a third and final 

stint as producer in 1987 led to even more 

changes, and the most significant additions to the show came in 1989

with the introduction of a third episode then an omnibus edition. As

the decade ended, Corrie was back at its peak with viewers and critics

alike. The death of Alan Bradley (Mark Eden) in December 1989 was

seen by almost 27 million viewers, the highest ever figure for the

soap, and still the ninth most watched UK broadcast in TV history.

These seven years on the Street featured David Brierly, and a total

of thirty-one Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

• [Robert] Micheal Bilton (Pearson) was Charles de Teligny in The Massacre, Collins in Pyramids of Mars, and Time Lord in The Deadly Assassin
• Rachel Laurence (Miss Weatherfield here; Maureen, 1989; DI Chambers, 1993) voiced the Ghost for The Wishing Beast, Bessy/ Barmaid for The Vanity Box (both 2007), and Feldwebel/Computer for The Architects of History (2010)
• Michael [John] Goldie (Statham) was Jack Craddock in The Dalek Invasion of Earth, and Elton Laleham in The Wheel in Space 
• Sam [born Roger Michael] Kelly (Challis) voiced Eugene Tacitus for The Holy Terror (2000), and Acheron for Return to the Web Planet (2007)
• Cory Pulman (Mandy) was Kathleen Dudman in The Curse of Fenric
• Ron [Eaglesham] Donachie [born Porter] (Schofield) was a Steward in Tooth and Claw
• Nigel Gregory (Mills) was Sergeant Vince Wilson in K9 and Company
• David Ashton [born Scott] (Birchall) was Kendron in Timelash
• Susan [Elizabeth] Brown (Connie here; Maureen, 2006) was Bridget Spears in Torchwood: Children of Earth - she also voiced Midwife for 100,000 BC, Mary for Bedtime Story (both 2007), Alice Withers for The Eternal Summer, Maud for Castle of Fear, Mrs. Withers/Mrs. Sowerby/ Computer for Plague of the Daleks (all 2009), Margaret for Deimos and The Resurrection of Mars, Eleanor Harvey for Return of the Krotons, Chief Engineer/Chanel for The Song of the Megaptera, Babs for Prison in Space (all 2010), and Kastrella for the Death Match (2015)
• Don McCorkindale (Lester) voiced Don Fabrizio for The Ghosts of N-Space, and Porthintus for The Wreck of the World (2017)
• Susan Kyd (Samantha) voiced Emily/Ivy Cobham for The Demons of Red Lodge, and Governor Chaplin for Doing Time (both 2010)
• David Monteath (Knox) voiced Herald/Brother Marcus/Farmer Hennok for The Quin Dilemma (2024)
• Gerald [Maurice] Blake [born Shorts] was also director of The Abominable Snowmen and The Invasion of Time
• Sarah [Jane Abigail] Lancashire (Wendy here; Raquel Woolstenhulme Watts, 1991-96) was Miss Foster (pictured) in Partners in Crime
• [John] Simon Rouse (Farrell here; Woodson, 2013) was Hindle in Kinda, then voiced John Kincaid for The Witch from the Well (2011), Drang for The Paradox Planet and The Legacy of Death (2016), and Frank Kelsey for The Running Men (2024)
• Stephen MacKenna (Baker) was Dennis in The Woman Who Fell to Earth
• Kenneth Waller (Watts) was Hedges in (part 2 of) The Invisible Enemy
• Mona Hammond [born Mavis Chin] (Mrs. Armitage) was Rita-Anne in Rise of the Cybermen
• Rob Dixon (Roscoe) voiced Reggie Mead for Project: Twilight (2001), and Sergeant Wood for No Man's Land (2006)
• Jenny Funnell (WPC Morgan) voiced Veronica Buchman for Wirrn Isle (2012), and Reaver for The King of Sontar (2014)
• Michael Sheard [born Donald Marriot Perkins] (Dabner) was Rhos in The Ark (2), Dr. Roland Summers in The Mind of Evil, Laurence Scarman in Pyramids of Mars, Lowe in The Invisible Enemy, Mergrave in Castrovalva, the Headmaster [Harvey Parson] in Remembrance of the Daleks, and Chief Baxter in Fury from the Deep (2002) - he also voiced Orsino for The Stones of Venice (2001)
• Ann [Margaret Nicholson] Rye (Mrs. Bingley here; Emiline, 2001; Joan, 2003; Wanda, 2004) voiced Lillian Dillane for Nocturne (2007)
• John Arthur (Consultant here; Judge, 2005; Minister, 2010) voiced Cosmo Devine for Invaders from Mars (2002) 
• Julia [Margaret] Deakin (Secretary here; Brenda, 2003) voiced Harriet Griffin for Terror Firma (2005), and Old Anita for Burrowed Time (2019)
• Margaret Ashley (Mrs. Kenworthy) voiced Ingrid for The Hunting Ground (2018)
• Eric Potts (Dearing here; Saxton, 1996; Council Official, 1998; Diggory Compton, 2005/06) was Oliver Charles in Aliens of London
• Rod Arthur (Foreman here; Blood Donor, 1991) was Parsons in School Reunion
• Joan Walker (WPC here; Louise, 2011) voiced Centuria/Ship for Paradoxicide (2011)
• Carol Noakes (WPC here; Sister, 1992) voiced Olerik for The Acheron Pulse (2012)
• Ling Tai (Student) was an uncredited Tourist in The Leisure Hive (1), Crewmember in Warriors of the Deep, and Shou Yuing in Battlefield
• Siobhan [Margaret] Finneran (Josie here; Verity in Romanian Holiday) was Becka Savage in The Witchfinders