Doctor Who Vs. Coronation Street at 60, Part 11: 1996-1999

By 1997, the Street's viewing figures were

lagging behind rival EastEnders, with the

programme yet again perceived as dated.

ITV bosses were keen to make sweeping 

changes, and sought to attract a younger

audience. 

Outgoing produced Sue Pritchard was

replaced by Brian Park, and his short reign

saw the culling of many established cast 

members, starting with the sacking of Peter

Baldwin (who had played Derek Wilton since

 1975).

Park's controversial tenure saw the arrival

of the unpopular Battersby family, the intro-

duction of Hayley Patterson (the first trans-

gender character in British soap history),

and he was responsible for the infamous

'Weatherfield One' storyline when Deirdre

was jailed (watched by 19 million viewers).

David Hanson, the show's next producer,

oversaw another landmark for Corrie, when

 its first Asian family, the Desais took over the corner shop in 1999,

following the death of Alf Roberts (played by Bryan Mosley since

1961). The year also saw another expansion of the outdoor set (with

Victoria Street built to accommodate new businesses and flats), and

the appointment of another producer, Jane Macnaught.

These four years on the cobbles included scripts from Paul Cornell,

Gareth Roberts, and Phil Ford, and featured twenty-five other

Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

• Phil Collinson (the future producer of both Doctor Who and Corrie) appeared in episode 4302 as Bob Wright
• Glyn Pritchard (Fox) was Eddie Jones in 73 Yards
• Jane Booker (Mrs. Hall) voiced Dron and Yetana for Big Finish's How to Make a Killing in Time Travel (2018)
• Su Douglas (Mrs. Bradley here; Meredith, 2012) voiced Countess Venhella for Benny's Story, Gem Weston for Fitz's Story (both 2009), Cook for The Broken Crown, Toad for Aladdin Time (both 2011), and Lady Raleigh for The Survivor (2019)
• Michael Walker (Motorist) was a Radar Operator in The Claws of Axos, and Miseus in The Time Monster
• James Garbutt (Wilf) was Ronson in Genesis of the Daleks
• Peter Kay (Shopfitter here; Eric Gartside, 2004) was Victor Kennedy, the Abzorbaloff in Love & Monsters
• Darryl Clark (PC here; Clerk, 2009; Seth, 2018) was Officer Will in Resolution
• Suranne Jones (Mandy here; Karen Phillips/McDonald, 2000 to 2004) was the eponymous subject of The Sarah Jane Adventures: Mona Lisa's Revenge, then played Idris (pictured) in The Doctor's Wife
• Derek Riddell (Newbould) was Robert MacLeish in Tooth and Claw
• Andrew Knott (Liam) voiced James O'Meara for 1963: Fanfare for the Common Men (2013), and Sean Casey for The White Room (2014)
• William Ilkley (Horrocks) was Tim Bass in The Mark of the Rani
• Jennifer [Hayes] Hennessey (DC Kay here; Bernie, 2009) was Valerie Brannigan in Gridlock, and Moira in The Pilot and Extremis
• John Normington (Groves) was Morgus in The Caves of Androzani, and Trevor Sigma in The Happiness Patrol
• Big Finish actor Michael Cochrane (Fay) was Charles Cranleigh in Black Orchid, Redvers Fenn-Cooper in Ghost Light, then voiced Lt. Col. Brook for No Man's Land (2006), Murgat for Brotherhood of the Daleks (2008), Colonel Spindleton for Trail of the White Worm and The Oseidon Adventure (both 2012), Chivers for The Time Machine (2013), and Geralk for The Fate of Krelos and Return to Telos (2015)
• Brigit Forsyth (Babs) was Ruth Maxtible in The Evil of the Daleks
• Victoria Alcock (Mary) was Angela Whittaker in Planet of the Dead, then voiced Marion for Power Play, and Winnie O'Connor for The Lonely Clock (both 2012)
• Julie Hesmondhalgh (Hayley Patterson/Cropper) was Judy Maddox in Kerblam!
• David Simeon (Dr. Bird) was Private Latimer in Inferno, and Alastair Fergus in (episode 1 of) The Daemons
• Stephen Billington (Greg Kelly) voiced Commander Bergam for Ice Station Alpha (2016)
• Suzanne Bertish (Viv) voiced Aldis for Nevernor (2020)
• Raji James (Collector) was Dr. Rajesh Singh in Doomsday and Army of Ghosts
• Elizabeth Rider (Kathleen here; Genna, 2006) provided the ATMOS voice for The Sontaran Stratagem, was Linda in The Time of the Doctor, and voiced Galatea for The Well-Mannered War (2015)
• Annie Hulley (Gwen) voiced the Newsreader for The Happiness Patrol (3)
• Jonathan Guy Lewis (Bentley) voiced Marcus Bray for After the Daleks (2021)