Doctor Who Vs. Coronation Street @ 65, Part 12: 2000-2003

Langley (Adam Mitchell in The Long Game)
was sacked by Granada in 2017 and
written out of the show

From 1999 to 2001, many real life

issues dominated Corrie storylines

- these involved rape, fostering,

child abduction, internet grooming,

cervical cancer and teenage preg-

nancy. Such plots proved unpopular

and producer Jane Macnaught was

replaced by Carolyn Reynolds.

The Street's fortieth anniversary was

marked by the broadcast of a live,

hour-long episode on December 8th

2000. The show also faced strong

competition from rival soap East-

Enders, so Kieran Roberts was

appointed as new producer in 2002 -

his aim was to inject gentler stories

and more humour.

That year saw the introduction of the soap's first regular gay character,

Todd Grimshaw (played by Bruno Langley), and one of the biggest ever

storylines - the crimes of Richard Hillman. As that plot reached its 

climax in February 2003, Corrie achieved the highest audience of the

decade with over 19 million viewers.

These four years on the cobbles featured Mary Tamm (as Diana

Black), Bernard Cribbins (Wally Bannister), Susan Twist, and a

total of twenty-eight other Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

• Naomi [Esther] Ryan [born Russell] (Bobbi Lewis, 2000-02) was Cassandra in Asylum of the Daleks
• Nigel [Patrick] Betts (Weir here; Eddie, 2007) was Headteacher [Frank] Armitage in Into the  Dalek, The Caretaker and Dark Water
• Liam [born Paul] Fox (Man here & 2005; Partridge, 2008) voiced Wunshooz/Mang for Big Finish's Purgatory 12 (2020)
• Gabrielle Glaister (Debs) voiced Maggie Bishop for The Forsaken (2015), Cowley for The High Price of Parking (2017), and Veronica Bland for Braxiatel in Love (2018)
• [Carolyn] Jane [Onslow] How (Extra) was Rebec in Planet of the Daleks
• Davyd Harries (Judge) was Shapp in The Armageddon Factor
• Philip Bird (Gregory) made his TV debut as a Swampie in The Power of Kroll
• [Sarah] Melanie [Jean] Kilburn (Evelyn Sykes/Elliott, 2000-02) voiced Hooley for The Dread of Night (2018)
• Peter Guinness (Sykes) voiced Mr. Dread for Dreamland, Childeric for The Holy Terror (2000), Baron Teufel for The Beast of Orlok (2009), and Rovus for The Star Men (2017)
• Toby Hadoke (Vicar here; Baxter, 2004; Doctor, 2009; Dunford, 2021) voiced Louis Richter for Cyberman 2 (2009), Mike Bretherton for Hexagora, Farel for Robophobia (both 2011), Dorrick for The Sands of Life, War Against the Laan, The Dalek Contract, The Final Phase (all 2013), The Pursuit of History and Casualties of Time (both 2016), Carruthers Summerton for Jago & Litefoot 10 (2015), the Lux/Oscar McLeod for Tales from New Earth, V26 for The Sons of Kaldor (both 2018), Narrator of The Dream Nexus, and Ron for The Mindless Ones, Chronomancer, Time-Burst, Girl in a Bubble and The Wrong Side of History (all 2022) - he was also Cyril in An Adventure in Space and Time
• Stephen Beckett (Matt Ramsden, 2001 & 2006) voiced Richard, Duke of Gloucester for The Kingmaker (2006)
• Leena Dhingra (Mina) was Miss Chandrakala in The Unicorn and the Wasp, and Nani Umbreen in Demons of the Punjab
• Julia Haworth (Claire Casey/Peacock) was Kat in Defenders of Earth
• Alan Wareing was also director of The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, Ghost Light and Survival, following a stint as PA on The Keeper of Traken, and production manager on Timelash
• Keith Drinkel (Gregory here; Bob, 2005) was Flight Engineer Scobie in Time Flight, and voiced Henry Hallam for Catch 1782 (2005), and the Cinder for Frostfire (2007)
• Nichola McAuliffe (Anita) was Vivien Rook in The Sound of Drums
• William Ash (Johnny) was Riley Vashtee in 42, and voiced Sam for The Condemned (2008)
• Geoffrey Leesley (Clegg) voiced Paramount Minister Mortund for Arrangements for War (2004)
• Michelle Newell (Gill) was one of twenty-six actresses who auditioned for the role of Leela in 1976
• Maureen [Diane] Lipman (Lillian here; Evelyn, from 2018) was the Wire in The Idiot's Lantern
• Roy Hudd (Archie Shuttleworth, 2002/03, 2006, 2010) voiced Max Miller for Pier Pressure (2006)
• Richard [Jonathan] Fleeshman (Craig Nelson, 2002-06) voiced Kristopher for Inner Demons (2025)
• Jonathan Owen (Reverend) voiced Antranak for The Eye of the Scorpion (2001), Hamiyun for Her Final Flight (2004), and Napoleon Bonaparte for The Curse of Davros (2012)
• Sasha Behar (Maya Sharma, 2003/04) was Spurrina in The Fires of Pompeii, then voiced the Presidential Aide for Songs of Love, Tessno and Ladonne for Stop the Clock (both 2017), Admiral Eno for The Lifeboat and the Deathboat (2019), Talarn/Thayla/Bullet 2 for Dust Devil, and Diana Hendry for The Seas of Titan (both 2022)
• George [Morris] Baker (Newton) was Decider Login in Full Circle
• James Quinn (DI Mannery here; DS Willets, 2013) was Bill in Flatline
• Chris Finch [born Wilkinson] (Foster) was a Time Lord Soldier in The Last Day and The Day of the Doctor
• Nicky Goldie (Mrs. Parry here; Jade, 2010) voiced the Spillager Empress for Winter for the Adept, Valeria Hedone for The Fires of Vulcan (both 2000), Inquisitor Danby for Excelis Rising (2002), and Polk for The Moonrakers (2020)