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Betty Williams (Coronation Street)
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth "Betty" Williams (née Preston, previously Turpin) is a long-standing fictional character
from the British ITV
soap opera
Coronation Street
, portrayed by former music hall star Betty Driver
. Driver was cast as Betty in 1969, after first auditioning for the role of Hilda Ogden
. The character arrived in Coronation Street to help her sister Maggie Clegg run the corner shop, and has since had a number of storylines which have seen her become twice widowed, and mother to an illegitimate son. Working as a barmaid in the soap's Rovers Return Inn
, Betty created a signature dish, known as Betty's hotpot
. In 1995, a real-life range of hotpots and pies based on the dish were launched by Hollands Pies, and in 2007, the world's largest Lancashire hotpot was created, based on Betty's recipe. Driver died in October 2011. Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson
stated on 17 October 2011 that he was working with scriptwriters on Betty's send off.
and Derbyshire
. It was here that she was spotted by one of her customers, producer of Coronation Street, Harry Kershaw
, who persuaded her to audition for the role of Hilda Ogden
in 1964; she eventually had to turn the role down as she was tied into an advertising contract with Procter & Gamble
and they refused to release her. The part of Hilda eventually went to Jean Alexander
. Driver has commented, "Harry Kershaw, producer of Coronation Street, persuaded me to audition for Hilda Ogden – just think I could have been wearing curlers for 30 years." In 1969, she was cast as the new character, Betty Turpin. Commenting on her casting in 1999, Driver said, "[Kershaw] said, 'Betty, how would you like to pull pints for us on television?', and that was it. I suppose I expected I'd be there for perhaps a few months. But it just went on and on and, well, they've never managed to get rid of me."
Following her first appearance in 1969, Driver remained in the role of Betty continuously. She suggested in 1999 that if she gave up she would die "within a month from sheer boredom". In a 2006 interview she laughed off the notion of retirement, saying: "From day one on The Street everyone has been very kind to me. In fact, I'm godmother to Bill Roache's son. So as long as they want me, I'm happy to stay. The Street is like home and they really are my family." She confirmed her intention to remain on the show in 2010, when the character celebrated her 90th birthday. In May 2010, the News of the World
reported that Driver had decided to retire, just prior to the actress's 90th birthday. Driver was distressed by the rumour, and assured producer Phil Collinson
of her intention to remain with the soap, and was told that Betty was very much a part of plans for the series' upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations. Driver died on 15 October 2011, having appeared in over 2,800 episodes of Coronation Street.
, she had an affair with serviceman Ted Farrell (Gerald Sim
), resulting in a son, Gordon (Bill Kenwright
; Geoffrey Leesley). Ted left her to return to his family and Gordon was adopted by Betty's sister Maggie (Irene Sutcliffe
) and her husband Les Clegg (John Sharp
). Betty celebrated the end of the war with her sweetheart Billy Williams (Frank Mills), to whom she had lost her virginity. The two lost touch, and in 1949, Betty married policeman Cyril Turpin (William Moore
).
) to give Betty a job as a barmaid at The Rovers Return public house
. Betty clashes with the landlady Annie
(Doris Speed
), who fears that Jack may find her attractive, and fires Betty as a result. Betty takes a job in a rival pub, and returns only when Annie apologises. Betty becomes close friends with fellow barmaid Bet Lynch
(Julie Goodyear
), who on occasion lodges with her, uses Betty as a chaperone on dates, and frequently seeks her advice in running her life.
Cyril's employment as a policeman causes Betty problems when Lucas, a man he has previously arrested, begins stalking her. She initially refrains from telling Cyril, fearing that he will get into trouble. When Cyril finds out, he attacks Lucas with a piece of lead piping and has to leave the police force. Betty has a breakdown when Cyril dies of a heart attack in 1974, leaving her only £859. The same year the truth about her illegitimate son is revealed, and when the community discovers this, Betty finds it difficult to face them. She busies herself by taking in lodgers, and acquiring a ginger cat named Marmaduke for extra companionship. Betty builds a relationship with Gordon, though he upsets her occasionally, particularly when he neglects to invite her to his wedding.
Betty is mugged in 1982 by Ryan Attwood from Ken Barlow
's youth club; she ends up in hospital with a broken arm. This leads to a reunion with Ted, the man who fathered Gordon, though he is unaware of his son's existence. Ted visits Betty in hospital after reading about her mugging in a newspaper. Betty agonises over whether to tell Ted about Gordon, but decides against it, preferring not to stir up the past.
On the fiftieth anniversary of VE Day in 1995, Betty is reunited with her wartime sweetheart Billy. The two marry several months later, and Gordon gives his mother away. They live happily together until Billy also dies of a heart attack in 1997. Betty becomes famous in Weatherfield
for her hotpots, which come under scrutiny in the early 1990s when it is believed that they are contaminated. She is cleared of all wrongdoing when it is discovered that beer, not food, is responsible for a spate of stomach upsets. Betty acts as lady mayoress alongside mayor Alf Roberts
(Bryan Mosley
) when his wife Audrey
(Sue Nicholls
) has no interest in fulfilling her civic duties. This includes accompanying him to receive his OBE from the Queen, much to Audrey's chagrin.
In 1999, Betty celebrates 30 years of working at the Rovers Return with a party attended by all the regulars. She considers retiring in 2002 and briefly moves to Wimbledon
to be with Gordon and his wife Caroline. Feeling that Caroline does not want her there, Betty considers moving into a retirement home, however is convinced to stay in Weatherfield by her close friend Emily Bishop
(Eileen Derbyshire
). Around the time of Betty's fortieth anniversary at the Rovers Return, she is sacked by new manager Poppy Morales (Sophiya Haque) after clashing with her on several occasions. Landlord Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson
) eventually tires of Poppy's poor treatment of the staff and fires her. Betty is re-instated, and plays the fairy godmother
in the 2009 Rovers Return Christmas pantomime
performance of Cinderella
. In early February 2010, Betty has a party in the Rovers celebrating both her 90th birthday and the fact that she is the oldest barmaid in Weatherfield; however it backfires when 91 year old Enid Crump (June Broughton) crashes the party and claims she is the oldest barmaid not Betty. Later Enid becomes sick after Steve serves her a 3-month old hotpot. Betty and Steve are left terrified when they realise that the hotpot could kill her, but she later recovers.
describes Betty as an archetypal mother figure. He compares her to one of Coronation Streets original characters Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant
), as she is "warm and comforting [...] loves cats and has had her share of lodgers"; however, Little notes that "while Minnie wandered through life in a haze, Betty is sharp-witted, blessed with insight and wisdom". Discussing her evolving characterisation, Little writes: "She hasn't always been the incarnation of lovable joviality: when she arrived in the Street in 1969, she was loud, brash and a vicious-tongued gossip."
Betty's two passions in life are darts
and food. Playing darts brings out her competitive side, and she enjoys beating her male customers. Cyril frequently protests when Betty attempts to diet, as he prefers her "homely and comfortable" figure. Ultimately, Betty stops trying to lose weight, stating: "I had to chose between losing a few pounds or losing my marital partner. If my Cyril had wanted to marry a skinny rabbit he'd have married one." Betty breaks down when Cyril dies from a heart attack, with Little noting that: "Cyril had been the stabilizing force in Betty's life, and without him she relied heavily on her job and friends at the Rovers – she couldn't face life alone at home". Little has observed that Betty "has a finely tuned sense of right and wrong and has never been afraid to stand up for her beliefs", citing Betty's shock at being mugged in 1982, and calling the NSPCC
to report a female neighbour whose children were left outside until nightfall while their mother entertained her boyfriend.
In 2010, Driver discussed her character, saying, "Coronation Street characters tend to fit into one of two camps. Those who have drama after drama and those who muddle through life, often in the background, as sturdy and dependable as the famous cobbles. Betty falls into the latter group. There have been moments of drama, intrigue and even romance – but it has been her presence behind the bar, cutting up pieces of lamb and chunks of potato, that has endeared her to the viewers." When asked about Betty's "sharp tongue", Driver suggested, "Not really sharp. [Betty's] just straightforward. [She's] not nasty to anybody but [she doesn't] suffer fools gladly."
), who accused her of theft, and she quit her post in 1995 when Jack
(Bill Tarmey) and Vera Duckworth
(Liz Dawn) took over as landlords. In the summer of 2009, Betty was sacked again temporarily by manager Poppy Morales. A Coronation Street insider reassured The Sun that Betty was not being written out of the show, however, stating: "She’ll be here for a long time to come – she’ll just be on the other side of the bar for a change". In a storyline that aired in February 2010, Betty – at 90 years old – was named Manchester's Oldest Barmaid. In a plot twist, a 91 year old rival came forward, resulting in Betty fearing she killed her, when the rival consumes a two month old hotpot.
, suggested in 1997 that characters such as Betty "are essential ingredients. They're like the big clock on the mantelpiece." Park elaborated on his opinion of Betty when he left the serial as producer in 1998, saying, "I don't mean it disrespectfully but [...] people like Betty Driver, who plays Betty Williams [...] are what I call the mantelpiece ornaments. She'll probably never hold down a major storyline but she's part of the weave."
The character is one of the longest-serving in British soap, coming third behind Ken Barlow and Emily Bishop in a 1998 survey assessing character episode appearances in Coronation Street's history. In 1999, when Betty was celebrating 30 years on-screen, Alison Boshoff of the Daily Mail praised the character's never changing style: "for 30 years, one favourite fixture of Coronation Street has remained exactly the same [...] barmaid Betty Turpin. With her neatly-set hair, comfortable, bustling manner, and brilliant smile, she has been dispensing homespun advice – and, of course, those celebrated hotpots – at the Rovers Return for more than a generation." Commenting on her 30th anniversary with the show, Betty Driver said, "It is just amazing that I've been here for 30 years. I suppose I have never really counted up the time I've been with the show, because I still enjoy it so much and am always looking forward rather than back. Really, it has been a wonderful experience and I feel very glad I was able to stick around for so long."
In 2007, Coronation Street bosses told The Sun
newspaper that there were no plans to retire the character of Betty, despite actress Betty Driver being 87 at the time, the oldest cast member in the soap. The character was described as "highly valued", with executive producer Kieran Roberts saying, "She is still going strong and enjoying the role. Betty is one of the Street’s great traditional characters who seem to have been there forever. It’s always been our aim to keep a great mix of contemporary stories with older, more traditional characters. Comedy and tragedy combined with very clever writing has always been a trademark of the Street." Actor Rob James-Collier
, who played Liam Connor
in the soap, has deemed Betty to be one of Coronation Street' s two best characters, alongside Jack Duckworth
(Bill Tarmey). He explained: "Betty Driver, who plays Betty can have no more than a couple of lines in a scene, but she’ll steal it off all the other actors with just a comedy reaction. It’s simple, and also fantastic."
Driver was awarded with a lifetime achievement award at The British Soap Awards in May 2010, to honour her role as Betty who had, at that time, featured in Coronation Street for 41 years. Due to illness, Driver was unable to collect the award in person, but she recorded a video message thanking everyone at ITV and in 2011 was regarded as one of the Best Coronation Street Characters On Earth.
During her time on Coronation Street, the character has become synonymous with her signature dish at the Rovers Return Inn
, Betty's hotpot
. ITV have described the dish as "the stuff of legends", and in 1995, pie manufacturer Holland's Pies
launched a real-life range of hotpots and pies based on the dish, called "Betty's Kitchen". The idea for the range originated with the firm's marketing director, Dilys Day, who explained: "I was brought up on hotpot and Coronation Street. So when I joined Holland's a year ago, it seemed right to put the two together with Betty's hotpot." Day added that: "We are all very excited about Betty's Kitchen products. Holland's is a strong northern brand, with mass market appeal and wholesome, honest values - the same can be said for The Street."
In his book Marketing Communication, Richard J. Varey used the product range as an example of a company capitalising on a form of product placement
or "stealth advertising", writing that "Viewers don't realize that they are, in effect, watching an advertisement". Betty Driver said of the range's launch: "Betty Turpin's hotpots have become something of an institution at the Rover's and she's very proud of her reputation for good, wholesome food. I think it is a lovely idea that people will be able to buy them in supermarkets now." Driver discussed her astonishment at the general level of interest in her character's hotpots, disclosing: "I was on a cruise on the QE2 a few weeks ago, and everyone was asking me about it. Then one day, they served hot pot on the menu and everyone thought it was mine!"
In 2007, Liverpool Daily Post
editor Larry Neild was selected to join Liverpool's 'Health is Wealth' commission, researching the effects of food deprivation on poor health, after writing a scathing column in which he suggested that the commission’s chairman, Sue Woodward, chief executive of ITV Granada, should set a good example in Coronation Street by banning Betty’s hotpot. In October of the same year, allegedly the world’s biggest Lancashire hotpot was created, based on Betty’s traditional hotpot recipe from Coronation Street. The hotpot was cooked in a specially crafted 12 ft by 7 ft tin, weighing 200 kilos. 2008 saw Betty's hotpot come under scrutiny in the soap, after Street resident Jerry Morton
suffered a heart attack. Jerry's ex-wife Teresa Bryant
blamed the fatty meat in Betty's hotpots for hardening his arteries, and local butcher Ashley Peacock
suggested that ostrich
meat may be an up and coming new alternative, much to Betty's outrage. Despite her character's culinary skill, Driver claims she "couldn't cook a hotpot to save [her] life".
, Coronation Street spin-off film was released, featuring Betty. It was entitled The Women Of Coronation Street and featured clips of the show's most famous females. The video hailed the brief return of Coronation Street favourite Hilda Ogden
, who had not been seen in the soap since 1987; Betty travelled to meet her at her new home. A spokesperson for Granada Television commented, "It shows what happens when Betty [Williams] goes up to visit Hilda Ogden at her home in Derbyshire. She used to do cleaning work for a doctor and when he died, he left her the house in gratitude. It'll be a souvenir fans want to keep."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, portrayed by former music hall star Betty Driver
Betty Driver
Elizabeth Mary "Betty" Driver, MBE was an English singer, actress and author, best known for her role as Betty Williams on the British soap opera, Coronation Street, appearing in more than 2,800 episodes...
. Driver was cast as Betty in 1969, after first auditioning for the role of Hilda Ogden
Hilda Ogden
Hilda Alice Ogden is a fictional character from the television series Coronation Street, one of the best-known of all the regular characters in the soap opera, whose name became synonymous with a certain type of working-class woman...
. The character arrived in Coronation Street to help her sister Maggie Clegg run the corner shop, and has since had a number of storylines which have seen her become twice widowed, and mother to an illegitimate son. Working as a barmaid in the soap's Rovers Return Inn
Rovers Return Inn
The Rovers Return Inn is a fictional public house on the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. The Rovers Return occupies the corner of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street. Since the first episode it has been the principal setting in the show and many of its most memorable moments...
, Betty created a signature dish, known as Betty's hotpot
Lancashire Hotpot
Lancashire hotpot is a dish made traditionally from lamb or mutton and onion, topped with sliced potatoes, left to bake in the oven all day in a heavy pot and on a low heat. Originating in the days of heavy industrialisation in Lancashire in the North West of England, it requires a minimum of...
. In 1995, a real-life range of hotpots and pies based on the dish were launched by Hollands Pies, and in 2007, the world's largest Lancashire hotpot was created, based on Betty's recipe. Driver died in October 2011. Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson
Phil Collinson
Philip "Phil" Collinson is a British television producer. He was initially an actor, before switching to working behind the cameras in the industry as a script editor and writer on programmes such as Springhill and Emmerdale, later becoming the producer of Peak Practice, Doctor Who and Coronation...
stated on 17 October 2011 that he was working with scriptwriters on Betty's send off.
Creation
Betty Driver, who had been performing since she was 8 years old, retired from acting in her late forties to run hotels in CheshireCheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
and Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. It was here that she was spotted by one of her customers, producer of Coronation Street, Harry Kershaw
H. V. Kershaw
H. V. Kershaw, also known as Harry Kershaw, from Manchester was a British television scriptwriter and dramatist best known for his long association with the top rating soap opera, Coronation Street, a programme he continued to pen scripts for until the mid-1980s...
, who persuaded her to audition for the role of Hilda Ogden
Hilda Ogden
Hilda Alice Ogden is a fictional character from the television series Coronation Street, one of the best-known of all the regular characters in the soap opera, whose name became synonymous with a certain type of working-class woman...
in 1964; she eventually had to turn the role down as she was tied into an advertising contract with Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
and they refused to release her. The part of Hilda eventually went to Jean Alexander
Jean Alexander
Jean Alexander is a BAFTA Nominated English television actress. She is best known to British television viewers as Hilda Ogden on the soap opera Coronation Street, a role she played from 1964–1987 and also as Auntie Wainwright on the longest running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine from 1988 to 2010...
. Driver has commented, "Harry Kershaw, producer of Coronation Street, persuaded me to audition for Hilda Ogden – just think I could have been wearing curlers for 30 years." In 1969, she was cast as the new character, Betty Turpin. Commenting on her casting in 1999, Driver said, "[Kershaw] said, 'Betty, how would you like to pull pints for us on television?', and that was it. I suppose I expected I'd be there for perhaps a few months. But it just went on and on and, well, they've never managed to get rid of me."
Following her first appearance in 1969, Driver remained in the role of Betty continuously. She suggested in 1999 that if she gave up she would die "within a month from sheer boredom". In a 2006 interview she laughed off the notion of retirement, saying: "From day one on The Street everyone has been very kind to me. In fact, I'm godmother to Bill Roache's son. So as long as they want me, I'm happy to stay. The Street is like home and they really are my family." She confirmed her intention to remain on the show in 2010, when the character celebrated her 90th birthday. In May 2010, the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
reported that Driver had decided to retire, just prior to the actress's 90th birthday. Driver was distressed by the rumour, and assured producer Phil Collinson
Phil Collinson
Philip "Phil" Collinson is a British television producer. He was initially an actor, before switching to working behind the cameras in the industry as a script editor and writer on programmes such as Springhill and Emmerdale, later becoming the producer of Peak Practice, Doctor Who and Coronation...
of her intention to remain with the soap, and was told that Betty was very much a part of plans for the series' upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations. Driver died on 15 October 2011, having appeared in over 2,800 episodes of Coronation Street.
Backstory
Betty was born on 4 February 1920 to Harold and Margaret Preston. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she had an affair with serviceman Ted Farrell (Gerald Sim
Gerald Sim
Gerald Grant Sim is an English actor who is perhaps best known for playing the Rector in To the Manor Born. He is the younger brother of actress Sheila Sim and brother-in-law of actor/director Lord Attenborough.- Career :...
), resulting in a son, Gordon (Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
; Geoffrey Leesley). Ted left her to return to his family and Gordon was adopted by Betty's sister Maggie (Irene Sutcliffe
Irene Sutcliffe
Irene Sutcliffe is an English actress. She is best known for playing Maggie Clegg in ITV's Coronation Street, a role she played from 1968 until 1975...
) and her husband Les Clegg (John Sharp
John Sharp (actor)
John Sharp was a British television actor.He made more than 100 appearances in television and occasionally films between 1949 and 1991. Sharp began as a film actor in 1949 and appeared in films throughout the 1950s...
). Betty celebrated the end of the war with her sweetheart Billy Williams (Frank Mills), to whom she had lost her virginity. The two lost touch, and in 1949, Betty married policeman Cyril Turpin (William Moore
William Moore (actor)
William Aaron Moore was an English actor who appeared in many television programmes such as Coronation Street as Cyril Turpin, Betty Turpin's husband from 1969–1974. He also appeared in Emmerdale Farm, and Sorry!...
).
Storylines
Betty and her husband Cyril move to Coronation Street in June 1969, helping her sister Maggie to run the local corner shop following the breakup of Maggie's marriage to Les Clegg. Maggie, however, resents Betty's interference and persuades landlord Jack Walker (Arthur LeslieArthur Leslie
Arthur Leslie was a British actor who was born in Newark, Nottinghamshire but moved to Lancashire at an early age...
) to give Betty a job as a barmaid at The Rovers Return public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. Betty clashes with the landlady Annie
Annie Walker
Anne "Annie" Walker is a long-standing fictional character in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She was played by actress Doris Speed from the series' first episode in 1960 until Speed retired from the role 23 years and 1,746 episodes later in 1983.The character of Annie has been noted as...
(Doris Speed
Doris Speed
Doris Speed, MBE was an English actress, best known for her role as snooty Rovers Return landlady Annie Walker on Coronation Street, a role she played from 1960 to 1983.-Early life and career:...
), who fears that Jack may find her attractive, and fires Betty as a result. Betty takes a job in a rival pub, and returns only when Annie apologises. Betty becomes close friends with fellow barmaid Bet Lynch
Bet Lynch
Elizabeth Theresa "Bet" Lynch is a fictional character from the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. The character is no longer part of current storylines. Portrayed by actress Julie Goodyear the character first appears onscreen during the episode airing on 23 May 1966. The character...
(Julie Goodyear
Julie Goodyear
Julie Goodyear, MBE is an English television actress and media personality, best known for playing the long-running role of pub landlady Bet Lynch on British soap opera Coronation Street.-Biography:...
), who on occasion lodges with her, uses Betty as a chaperone on dates, and frequently seeks her advice in running her life.
Cyril's employment as a policeman causes Betty problems when Lucas, a man he has previously arrested, begins stalking her. She initially refrains from telling Cyril, fearing that he will get into trouble. When Cyril finds out, he attacks Lucas with a piece of lead piping and has to leave the police force. Betty has a breakdown when Cyril dies of a heart attack in 1974, leaving her only £859. The same year the truth about her illegitimate son is revealed, and when the community discovers this, Betty finds it difficult to face them. She busies herself by taking in lodgers, and acquiring a ginger cat named Marmaduke for extra companionship. Betty builds a relationship with Gordon, though he upsets her occasionally, particularly when he neglects to invite her to his wedding.
Betty is mugged in 1982 by Ryan Attwood from Ken Barlow
Ken Barlow
Kenneth "Ken" Barlow is a long-standing fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by William Roache, and created by Tony Warren. He is currently the world's longest-serving soap opera character, having appeared continuously from the programme's inception in December...
's youth club; she ends up in hospital with a broken arm. This leads to a reunion with Ted, the man who fathered Gordon, though he is unaware of his son's existence. Ted visits Betty in hospital after reading about her mugging in a newspaper. Betty agonises over whether to tell Ted about Gordon, but decides against it, preferring not to stir up the past.
On the fiftieth anniversary of VE Day in 1995, Betty is reunited with her wartime sweetheart Billy. The two marry several months later, and Gordon gives his mother away. They live happily together until Billy also dies of a heart attack in 1997. Betty becomes famous in Weatherfield
Weatherfield
Weatherfield is a fictional town, based on Salford in North West England, which serves as the setting for the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street...
for her hotpots, which come under scrutiny in the early 1990s when it is believed that they are contaminated. She is cleared of all wrongdoing when it is discovered that beer, not food, is responsible for a spate of stomach upsets. Betty acts as lady mayoress alongside mayor Alf Roberts
Alf Roberts
Alfred Sidney "Alf" Roberts was a fictional character in the British ITV soap Coronation Street. He ran a grocery shop at No. 15 and was heavily involved in local politics, including two spells as mayor of Weatherfield...
(Bryan Mosley
Bryan Mosley
Bryan Mosley OBE was a British actor, known best as grocer Alf Roberts in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street.- Early life :...
) when his wife Audrey
Audrey Roberts
Audrey Roberts is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Sue Nicholls, the character first appeared during the episode aired on 16 April 1979....
(Sue Nicholls
Sue Nicholls
Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls is an English actress, best known today for her long-running role as Audrey Roberts in British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
) has no interest in fulfilling her civic duties. This includes accompanying him to receive his OBE from the Queen, much to Audrey's chagrin.
In 1999, Betty celebrates 30 years of working at the Rovers Return with a party attended by all the regulars. She considers retiring in 2002 and briefly moves to Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
to be with Gordon and his wife Caroline. Feeling that Caroline does not want her there, Betty considers moving into a retirement home, however is convinced to stay in Weatherfield by her close friend Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
(Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire, MBE is an English actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop on the soap opera Coronation Street. She has played the character since 1961, making her the longest-serving female cast member in a British soap opera...
). Around the time of Betty's fortieth anniversary at the Rovers Return, she is sacked by new manager Poppy Morales (Sophiya Haque) after clashing with her on several occasions. Landlord Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson
Simon Gregson
Simon Gregson is an English actor. He is known for being a cast member of the British soap opera Coronation Street in which he has played Steve McDonald since 1989....
) eventually tires of Poppy's poor treatment of the staff and fires her. Betty is re-instated, and plays the fairy godmother
Fairy godmother
In fairy tales, a fairy godmother is a fairy with magical powers who acts as a mentor or parent to someone, in the role that an actual godparent was expected to play in many societies...
in the 2009 Rovers Return Christmas pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
performance of Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
. In early February 2010, Betty has a party in the Rovers celebrating both her 90th birthday and the fact that she is the oldest barmaid in Weatherfield; however it backfires when 91 year old Enid Crump (June Broughton) crashes the party and claims she is the oldest barmaid not Betty. Later Enid becomes sick after Steve serves her a 3-month old hotpot. Betty and Steve are left terrified when they realise that the hotpot could kill her, but she later recovers.
Personality
In his 1998 book The Women of Coronation Street, Daran LittleDaran Little
Daran Little is a BAFTA Award-winning British television writer, most notable for his work on Coronation Street from 2000 until 2010.-Career:...
describes Betty as an archetypal mother figure. He compares her to one of Coronation Streets original characters Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant
Margot Bryant
Kathleen Mary Margaret Bryant was an English actress, best known for playing Minnie Caldwell on the soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life and career:...
), as she is "warm and comforting [...] loves cats and has had her share of lodgers"; however, Little notes that "while Minnie wandered through life in a haze, Betty is sharp-witted, blessed with insight and wisdom". Discussing her evolving characterisation, Little writes: "She hasn't always been the incarnation of lovable joviality: when she arrived in the Street in 1969, she was loud, brash and a vicious-tongued gossip."
Betty's two passions in life are darts
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
and food. Playing darts brings out her competitive side, and she enjoys beating her male customers. Cyril frequently protests when Betty attempts to diet, as he prefers her "homely and comfortable" figure. Ultimately, Betty stops trying to lose weight, stating: "I had to chose between losing a few pounds or losing my marital partner. If my Cyril had wanted to marry a skinny rabbit he'd have married one." Betty breaks down when Cyril dies from a heart attack, with Little noting that: "Cyril had been the stabilizing force in Betty's life, and without him she relied heavily on her job and friends at the Rovers – she couldn't face life alone at home". Little has observed that Betty "has a finely tuned sense of right and wrong and has never been afraid to stand up for her beliefs", citing Betty's shock at being mugged in 1982, and calling the NSPCC
NSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a United Kingdom charity campaigning and working in child protection.-History:...
to report a female neighbour whose children were left outside until nightfall while their mother entertained her boyfriend.
In 2010, Driver discussed her character, saying, "Coronation Street characters tend to fit into one of two camps. Those who have drama after drama and those who muddle through life, often in the background, as sturdy and dependable as the famous cobbles. Betty falls into the latter group. There have been moments of drama, intrigue and even romance – but it has been her presence behind the bar, cutting up pieces of lamb and chunks of potato, that has endeared her to the viewers." When asked about Betty's "sharp tongue", Driver suggested, "Not really sharp. [Betty's] just straightforward. [She's] not nasty to anybody but [she doesn't] suffer fools gladly."
Barmaid of The Rovers Return
Betty is the longest-serving barmaid of the soap's public house, The Rovers Return. She first served behind the bar in 1969 and has been shown to work there for 42 years, as of 2011. There have been brief breaks however, as storylines have led to the character being fired or quitting her post. She was fired by Annie Walker (Doris SpeedDoris Speed
Doris Speed, MBE was an English actress, best known for her role as snooty Rovers Return landlady Annie Walker on Coronation Street, a role she played from 1960 to 1983.-Early life and career:...
), who accused her of theft, and she quit her post in 1995 when Jack
Jack Duckworth
John Harold "Jack" Duckworth is a long-standing fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional town of Weatherfield. He is played by actor William Tarmey. The character debuted onscreen during the episode...
(Bill Tarmey) and Vera Duckworth
Vera Duckworth
Veronica "Vera" Duckworth , played by Elizabeth Dawn, is a fictional character on the British soap opera Coronation Street, first appearing in August 1974 and last appearing in episode 6,734 on 18 January 2008, where the character peacefully died in her sleep at the age of 70 from heart failure...
(Liz Dawn) took over as landlords. In the summer of 2009, Betty was sacked again temporarily by manager Poppy Morales. A Coronation Street insider reassured The Sun that Betty was not being written out of the show, however, stating: "She’ll be here for a long time to come – she’ll just be on the other side of the bar for a change". In a storyline that aired in February 2010, Betty – at 90 years old – was named Manchester's Oldest Barmaid. In a plot twist, a 91 year old rival came forward, resulting in Betty fearing she killed her, when the rival consumes a two month old hotpot.
Reception
ITV describe Betty as a "lynchpin" of the soap opera, stating that: "She’s as much a part of Coronation Street as the cobble stones." Former executive producer, Brian ParkBrian Park
Brian Park is a Scottish television producer and executive. He was born in Fife but lived in Aberdeen’s Bucksburn between the ages of nine and 17. He acted as a child and when he was 13 he joined the Aberdeen Children’s Theatre and appeared in an episode of Dr Finlay’s Casebook.Park joined Granada...
, suggested in 1997 that characters such as Betty "are essential ingredients. They're like the big clock on the mantelpiece." Park elaborated on his opinion of Betty when he left the serial as producer in 1998, saying, "I don't mean it disrespectfully but [...] people like Betty Driver, who plays Betty Williams [...] are what I call the mantelpiece ornaments. She'll probably never hold down a major storyline but she's part of the weave."
The character is one of the longest-serving in British soap, coming third behind Ken Barlow and Emily Bishop in a 1998 survey assessing character episode appearances in Coronation Street's history. In 1999, when Betty was celebrating 30 years on-screen, Alison Boshoff of the Daily Mail praised the character's never changing style: "for 30 years, one favourite fixture of Coronation Street has remained exactly the same [...] barmaid Betty Turpin. With her neatly-set hair, comfortable, bustling manner, and brilliant smile, she has been dispensing homespun advice – and, of course, those celebrated hotpots – at the Rovers Return for more than a generation." Commenting on her 30th anniversary with the show, Betty Driver said, "It is just amazing that I've been here for 30 years. I suppose I have never really counted up the time I've been with the show, because I still enjoy it so much and am always looking forward rather than back. Really, it has been a wonderful experience and I feel very glad I was able to stick around for so long."
In 2007, Coronation Street bosses told The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper that there were no plans to retire the character of Betty, despite actress Betty Driver being 87 at the time, the oldest cast member in the soap. The character was described as "highly valued", with executive producer Kieran Roberts saying, "She is still going strong and enjoying the role. Betty is one of the Street’s great traditional characters who seem to have been there forever. It’s always been our aim to keep a great mix of contemporary stories with older, more traditional characters. Comedy and tragedy combined with very clever writing has always been a trademark of the Street." Actor Rob James-Collier
Rob James-Collier
Robert James-Collier is a British actor and model. He is known for his roles as Liam Connor in Coronation Street and as Thomas on Downton Abbey.- Background :James-Collier was born in Stockport, Greater Manchester...
, who played Liam Connor
Liam Connor
Liam Barrington Connor is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Rob James-Collier from 2006 to 2008.-Creation:...
in the soap, has deemed Betty to be one of Coronation Street
Jack Duckworth
John Harold "Jack" Duckworth is a long-standing fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional town of Weatherfield. He is played by actor William Tarmey. The character debuted onscreen during the episode...
(Bill Tarmey). He explained: "Betty Driver, who plays Betty can have no more than a couple of lines in a scene, but she’ll steal it off all the other actors with just a comedy reaction. It’s simple, and also fantastic."
Driver was awarded with a lifetime achievement award at The British Soap Awards in May 2010, to honour her role as Betty who had, at that time, featured in Coronation Street for 41 years. Due to illness, Driver was unable to collect the award in person, but she recorded a video message thanking everyone at ITV and in 2011 was regarded as one of the Best Coronation Street Characters On Earth.
Betty's hotpot
Rovers Return Inn
The Rovers Return Inn is a fictional public house on the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. The Rovers Return occupies the corner of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street. Since the first episode it has been the principal setting in the show and many of its most memorable moments...
, Betty's hotpot
Lancashire Hotpot
Lancashire hotpot is a dish made traditionally from lamb or mutton and onion, topped with sliced potatoes, left to bake in the oven all day in a heavy pot and on a low heat. Originating in the days of heavy industrialisation in Lancashire in the North West of England, it requires a minimum of...
. ITV have described the dish as "the stuff of legends", and in 1995, pie manufacturer Holland's Pies
Holland's Pies
Holland's Pies is a manufacturer of pies and puddings based in Baxenden, near Accrington in Lancashire, England. Owned by Northern Foods, the company also produce pasties, sausage rolls and pork pies.- History :...
launched a real-life range of hotpots and pies based on the dish, called "Betty's Kitchen". The idea for the range originated with the firm's marketing director, Dilys Day, who explained: "I was brought up on hotpot and Coronation Street. So when I joined Holland's a year ago, it seemed right to put the two together with Betty's hotpot." Day added that: "We are all very excited about Betty's Kitchen products. Holland's is a strong northern brand, with mass market appeal and wholesome, honest values - the same can be said for The Street."
In his book Marketing Communication, Richard J. Varey used the product range as an example of a company capitalising on a form of product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
or "stealth advertising", writing that "Viewers don't realize that they are, in effect, watching an advertisement". Betty Driver said of the range's launch: "Betty Turpin's hotpots have become something of an institution at the Rover's and she's very proud of her reputation for good, wholesome food. I think it is a lovely idea that people will be able to buy them in supermarkets now." Driver discussed her astonishment at the general level of interest in her character's hotpots, disclosing: "I was on a cruise on the QE2 a few weeks ago, and everyone was asking me about it. Then one day, they served hot pot on the menu and everyone thought it was mine!"
In 2007, Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool Daily Post
The Liverpool Daily Post is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Friday and is published in Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales editions, and is a morning paper...
editor Larry Neild was selected to join Liverpool's 'Health is Wealth' commission, researching the effects of food deprivation on poor health, after writing a scathing column in which he suggested that the commission’s chairman, Sue Woodward, chief executive of ITV Granada, should set a good example in Coronation Street by banning Betty’s hotpot. In October of the same year, allegedly the world’s biggest Lancashire hotpot was created, based on Betty’s traditional hotpot recipe from Coronation Street. The hotpot was cooked in a specially crafted 12 ft by 7 ft tin, weighing 200 kilos. 2008 saw Betty's hotpot come under scrutiny in the soap, after Street resident Jerry Morton
Jerry Morton
Jerry Morton, played by Michael Starke, is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. He was introduced in March 2007. It was announced in April 2008 that Jerry and the rest of the Mortons would leave the show later in 2008....
suffered a heart attack. Jerry's ex-wife Teresa Bryant
Teresa Bryant
Teresa Bryant , is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Karen Henthorn. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 28 March 2007...
blamed the fatty meat in Betty's hotpots for hardening his arteries, and local butcher Ashley Peacock
Ashley Peacock
Ashley Sibelius Peacock is a fictional character from the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Steven Arnold, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 1 February 1995.On 23 April 2010, it was announced that the character had been axed along...
suggested that ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
meat may be an up and coming new alternative, much to Betty's outrage. Despite her character's culinary skill, Driver claims she "couldn't cook a hotpot to save [her] life".
In other media
In 1998, a straight to videoVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
, Coronation Street spin-off film was released, featuring Betty. It was entitled The Women Of Coronation Street and featured clips of the show's most famous females. The video hailed the brief return of Coronation Street favourite Hilda Ogden
Hilda Ogden
Hilda Alice Ogden is a fictional character from the television series Coronation Street, one of the best-known of all the regular characters in the soap opera, whose name became synonymous with a certain type of working-class woman...
, who had not been seen in the soap since 1987; Betty travelled to meet her at her new home. A spokesperson for Granada Television commented, "It shows what happens when Betty [Williams] goes up to visit Hilda Ogden at her home in Derbyshire. She used to do cleaning work for a doctor and when he died, he left her the house in gratitude. It'll be a souvenir fans want to keep."