Terry Duckworth
Encyclopedia
Terrence Edgar "Terry" Duckworth is a fictional character
from the soap opera Coronation Street
, played by Nigel Pivaro
. He was introduced as the son of popular characters Jack
and Vera Duckworth
, making his on-screen debut on August 1, 1983. Terry has three sons: Paul
, Tommy
, and Brad. The character made regular appearances until leaving the street in 1987 and has made only brief visits in years following, his most recent being his mothers funeral.
's (Bryan Mosley
) corner shop while drunk.
Terry fled in 1987 after having an affair with a married woman. However, Terry returned briefly the following year strapped for cash. He pawned his watch to Alec Gilroy
and had an argument with Don Brennan for refusing to pay a fare in his taxi.
Terry returned 1992 with a pregnant girlfriend Lisa Horton in tow. Several months following his return he was arrested for GBH, and Lisa was left to explain to Jack and Vera that he had gone to prison. He was let out in order to marry Lisa, but used it as an excuse to be set free. He was captured several days after escaping and was sentenced to a further three years behind bars. Later that year in September, Lisa gave birth to a son, whom she named Tommy. Lisa was knocked down and killed by a car outside the Rovers Return the following year, after leaving Terry for Des Barnes
. Jack and Vera attempted to care for Tommy, but struggled to assume full custody.
Terry was released from prison after serving half his sentence in December 1993 for good behavior. He then took it upon himself to kidnap Tommy and sold him to Lisa’s parents, stressing that Jack and Vera weren't able to properly care for Tommy. Having effectively sold Tommy to the Hortons in Blackpool, he left the Street quickly after his father disowned him.
Terry returned once again in June 1996 and impregnated Tricia Armstrong after a one-night stand. He had returned with his son Tommy from Blackpool after Tommy's grandparents failed to pay him the money that they had agreed to pay Terry each year for Tommy.
Terry saw a chance for some easy cash when he learned his parents now ran the Rovers Return and played the model son, but his plans to make a quick buck were scuppered when the pub was absorbing a lot of its profits, leaving Jack and Vera with little spare to spend. He obtained £10,000 in exchange for a contract giving the Hortons full custody of Tommy until he was 18. Subsequently, Vera was devastated that Terry had re-sold his son. After ordering his photograph to be thrown in the bin, she wrote him out of her will, leaving everything to Tommy while Jack completely disavowed his son's existence.
Terry returned for a week stint in April 1997, much to his parent's anger. However, Tricia was elated, despite Terry being unable to remember her name. Tricia, after initially thinking Terry was going to settle down with her and Brad after his return, realised he was never going to be a father to Brad, and left the Street with her new boyfriend Ray Thorpe. Terry meanwhile tried to cheat Jack and Vera once again out of their takings earned from Rovers Return Inn
when he was given some money in an envelope from Jack to put into the bank. Terry, intending to take all the money and leave, discovered the envelope was empty with plain pieces of paper in it. He went back to Rover's Return angry that there was no money in the envelope. Jack revealed he knew Terry would try to run off with the money and that he set a trap. Feeling disgraced, Terry left once again.
Terry later appeared in August 1999 and bought Vera a posh car. The car was revealed as being a death trap when it was involved in a car crash which indirectly resulted in the death of Judy Mallett in September. On Christmas Day 1999 Terry interrupted a Christmas dinner and was punched by Judy's husband Gary for causing Judy's death. Jack then told his son how much misery he had brought down on Gary, and told him to never return to Coronation Street again. Alone with Terry, Vera finally stood up to her son, telling him he was eveil and slapping him.
Terry resented it when Tyrone Dobbs
moved in and became a son to Jack and Vera. In November 2000, when his son Paul needed a kidney transplant, Terry returned and offered to be a donor for a price. But once he had the money he fled, leaving his mother Vera
to donate instead. Reading a letter penned to him by Vera in case the worst should happen, she admitted to Jack a fling early in their marriage which cast doubt on Terry's paternity. Jack admitted to Curly that he knew of the affair, but also had no doubt in his mind that Terry was his son as he reminded Jack too much of himself. The operation saved Paul's life, but almost cost Vera hers when she had an allergic reaction. Terry, in a rare show of heart, returned to the hospital to make sure his mother was okay before disappearing.
Jack and Vera heard from Terry once again when he was in prison in October 2001. He claimed he had been framed for an attempted murder by a policeman who wanted revenge because Terry had been having an affair with his wife. This turned out to be true, and Jack helped him, despite his better instincts. Terry was released from prison in January 2002 when he was proven to be innocent. He subsequently made peace with Jack and Vera.
Terry eventually set up home with a girlfriend called Nadine in Sheffield, and was employed selling double glazing. Terry later moved to Wolverhampton
and began selling mobile phones. Terry appeared in early 2008 to attend Vera's funeral. While Terry was ostensibly there for the funeral, he immediately caused dischord when he failed to recognise Paul, and it soon became clear that he was there primarily just to make sure that Jack wouldn't be wanting to move in with him. After 'persuading' him not to sell to Tyrone and Molly
, and telling Paul he probably wouldn't see him again until after Jack’s death, he said a quick goodbye to his father and left.
Tyrone calls Terry after Jack dies almost three years later and Terry tells him he can't attend the funeral since the journey is 'too long'. Tyrone is disgusted even though Jack had banished Terry from attending his funeral beforehand.
finding Jack's winning betting slip in 2008, it was said that even though Paul "never knew his dad, that rogue Terry Duckworth gene can't help rising to the surface."
An article published by Stuart Heritage of The Guardian
during the time of Jack Duckworth
's departure from the show described Terry as a "dour elvis lookalike." Stuart explained that Terry "has spent his life knocking up women, getting thrown in prison and setting up bizarre human organ-harvesting scams". Based on the characters villainy, he claimed that "if Terry Duckworth ever teamed up with Nick Cotton
, we would certainly be doomed".
Chris Fountain
, who was cast as Terry’s son Tommy
, claimed in an interview with Digital Spy
that "if Terry came back, I think it would cause fireworks between a lot of the characters. It would be nice to see how that would pan out, because obviously Tommy is completely different to Terry - he hasn't got so much of a temper and I don't think he's a nasty person. It would definitely be quite interesting to see what happened if Terry came back".
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 soap opera 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...
, played by Nigel Pivaro
Nigel Pivaro
Nigel Pivaro is an English journalist who as an actor was best known for playing Terry Duckworth, the son of Vera and Jack Duckworth in Coronation Street.- Career :Pivaro was born in Manchester, England...
. He was introduced as the son of popular characters 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...
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...
, making his on-screen debut on August 1, 1983. Terry has three sons: Paul
Paul Clayton (Coronation Street)
Paul Clayton is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Lee Booth, the character first appeared on-screen during an episode that aired on 29 November 2000...
, Tommy
Tommy Duckworth
Thomas "Tommy" Duckworth is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Currently portrayed by actor Chris Fountain. The character was born on-screen during the episode airing on 9 September 1992 and departed in December 1993, before returning for four short...
, and Brad. The character made regular appearances until leaving the street in 1987 and has made only brief visits in years following, his most recent being his mothers funeral.
Storylines
The character arrived on the Street in 1983, having supposedly finished a stint in the Parachute Regiment. Shortly after arriving Terry broke into Alf RobertsAlf 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...
's (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 :...
) corner shop while drunk.
Terry fled in 1987 after having an affair with a married woman. However, Terry returned briefly the following year strapped for cash. He pawned his watch to Alec Gilroy
Alec Gilroy
Alexander "Alec" Gilroy is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, played by Roy Barraclough. The character made several appearances in the show as a small-time talent agent, the first in 1972, and later as a series regular from 1986 to 1992. He reappeared briefly in...
and had an argument with Don Brennan for refusing to pay a fare in his taxi.
Terry returned 1992 with a pregnant girlfriend Lisa Horton in tow. Several months following his return he was arrested for GBH, and Lisa was left to explain to Jack and Vera that he had gone to prison. He was let out in order to marry Lisa, but used it as an excuse to be set free. He was captured several days after escaping and was sentenced to a further three years behind bars. Later that year in September, Lisa gave birth to a son, whom she named Tommy. Lisa was knocked down and killed by a car outside the Rovers Return the following year, after leaving Terry for Des Barnes
Des Barnes
Desmond Francis "Des" Barnes is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, played by Philip Middlemiss.-Creation and development:...
. Jack and Vera attempted to care for Tommy, but struggled to assume full custody.
Terry was released from prison after serving half his sentence in December 1993 for good behavior. He then took it upon himself to kidnap Tommy and sold him to Lisa’s parents, stressing that Jack and Vera weren't able to properly care for Tommy. Having effectively sold Tommy to the Hortons in Blackpool, he left the Street quickly after his father disowned him.
Terry returned once again in June 1996 and impregnated Tricia Armstrong after a one-night stand. He had returned with his son Tommy from Blackpool after Tommy's grandparents failed to pay him the money that they had agreed to pay Terry each year for Tommy.
Terry saw a chance for some easy cash when he learned his parents now ran the Rovers Return and played the model son, but his plans to make a quick buck were scuppered when the pub was absorbing a lot of its profits, leaving Jack and Vera with little spare to spend. He obtained £10,000 in exchange for a contract giving the Hortons full custody of Tommy until he was 18. Subsequently, Vera was devastated that Terry had re-sold his son. After ordering his photograph to be thrown in the bin, she wrote him out of her will, leaving everything to Tommy while Jack completely disavowed his son's existence.
Terry returned for a week stint in April 1997, much to his parent's anger. However, Tricia was elated, despite Terry being unable to remember her name. Tricia, after initially thinking Terry was going to settle down with her and Brad after his return, realised he was never going to be a father to Brad, and left the Street with her new boyfriend Ray Thorpe. Terry meanwhile tried to cheat Jack and Vera once again out of their takings earned from 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...
when he was given some money in an envelope from Jack to put into the bank. Terry, intending to take all the money and leave, discovered the envelope was empty with plain pieces of paper in it. He went back to Rover's Return angry that there was no money in the envelope. Jack revealed he knew Terry would try to run off with the money and that he set a trap. Feeling disgraced, Terry left once again.
Terry later appeared in August 1999 and bought Vera a posh car. The car was revealed as being a death trap when it was involved in a car crash which indirectly resulted in the death of Judy Mallett in September. On Christmas Day 1999 Terry interrupted a Christmas dinner and was punched by Judy's husband Gary for causing Judy's death. Jack then told his son how much misery he had brought down on Gary, and told him to never return to Coronation Street again. Alone with Terry, Vera finally stood up to her son, telling him he was eveil and slapping him.
Terry resented it when Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Sylvester Dobbs is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Alan Halsall, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on November 30, 1998.- Casting :...
moved in and became a son to Jack and Vera. In November 2000, when his son Paul needed a kidney transplant, Terry returned and offered to be a donor for a price. But once he had the money he fled, leaving his mother Vera
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...
to donate instead. Reading a letter penned to him by Vera in case the worst should happen, she admitted to Jack a fling early in their marriage which cast doubt on Terry's paternity. Jack admitted to Curly that he knew of the affair, but also had no doubt in his mind that Terry was his son as he reminded Jack too much of himself. The operation saved Paul's life, but almost cost Vera hers when she had an allergic reaction. Terry, in a rare show of heart, returned to the hospital to make sure his mother was okay before disappearing.
Jack and Vera heard from Terry once again when he was in prison in October 2001. He claimed he had been framed for an attempted murder by a policeman who wanted revenge because Terry had been having an affair with his wife. This turned out to be true, and Jack helped him, despite his better instincts. Terry was released from prison in January 2002 when he was proven to be innocent. He subsequently made peace with Jack and Vera.
Terry eventually set up home with a girlfriend called Nadine in Sheffield, and was employed selling double glazing. Terry later moved to Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
and began selling mobile phones. Terry appeared in early 2008 to attend Vera's funeral. While Terry was ostensibly there for the funeral, he immediately caused dischord when he failed to recognise Paul, and it soon became clear that he was there primarily just to make sure that Jack wouldn't be wanting to move in with him. After 'persuading' him not to sell to Tyrone and Molly
Molly Dobbs
Molly Cosette Dobbs is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Vicky Binns, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on 5 September 2005. On 7 May 2010, Binns announced she was quitting the soap...
, and telling Paul he probably wouldn't see him again until after Jack’s death, he said a quick goodbye to his father and left.
Tyrone calls Terry after Jack dies almost three years later and Terry tells him he can't attend the funeral since the journey is 'too long'. Tyrone is disgusted even though Jack had banished Terry from attending his funeral beforehand.
Reception
In an article published by the Daily Mirror which detailed the characters son PaulPaul Clayton (Coronation Street)
Paul Clayton is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Lee Booth, the character first appeared on-screen during an episode that aired on 29 November 2000...
finding Jack's winning betting slip in 2008, it was said that even though Paul "never knew his dad, that rogue Terry Duckworth gene can't help rising to the surface."
An article published by Stuart Heritage of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
during the time of Jack Duckworth
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...
's departure from the show described Terry as a "dour elvis lookalike." Stuart explained that Terry "has spent his life knocking up women, getting thrown in prison and setting up bizarre human organ-harvesting scams". Based on the characters villainy, he claimed that "if Terry Duckworth ever teamed up with Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders played by John Altman on a recurring basis from the soap's debut episode in February 1985, through to his last appearance to date in 2009. Nick is the son of characters Charlie and Dot Cotton, and the father of Ashley and...
, we would certainly be doomed".
Chris Fountain
Chris Fountain
Christopher Ryan Fountain is an English actor best known for his role as Justin Burton on the Channel 4 teen soap Hollyoaks, a role he played from 2003 until his departure in June 2009. He is also now known for playing Tommy Duckworth in Coronation Street. He played the role of PC Paul Tait in...
, who was cast as Terry’s son Tommy
Tommy Duckworth
Thomas "Tommy" Duckworth is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Currently portrayed by actor Chris Fountain. The character was born on-screen during the episode airing on 9 September 1992 and departed in December 1993, before returning for four short...
, claimed in an interview with Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
that "if Terry came back, I think it would cause fireworks between a lot of the characters. It would be nice to see how that would pan out, because obviously Tommy is completely different to Terry - he hasn't got so much of a temper and I don't think he's a nasty person. It would definitely be quite interesting to see what happened if Terry came back".