Explore Coronation Street’s characters, from iconic legends to new arrivals, with the latest stories and drama unfolding on the cobbles.
Explore Coronation Street’s cast, from iconic legends to new arrivals, with the latest stories and drama unfolding on the cobbles.
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Coronation Street is a British institution and the longest-running soap in history. Airing in three hour-long slots during the week, Coronation Street, or Corrie as it’s affectionately dubbed by the fans, delivers three episodes of jam-packed drama.
Set on the iconic cobbles of Weatherfield, Corrie first aired in 1960. 65 years on we’ve followed the lives and loves of thousands of locals, and the drama keeps getting better and better.
Coronation Street has been a staple of television culture since 1960 and is approaching its 65th birthday. The show was the brainchild of a young scriptwriter from Manchester called Tony Warren, who first conceived the idea in 1960. Tony’s vision was to create a working class drama set in the fictional northern town of Weatherfield.
Originally called Florizel Street, Coronation Street was eventually brought to life, with Warren writing the first twelve episodes. He created iconic characters such as Ken Barlow, Ena Sharples, Elsie Tanner, and Annie Walker.
The first episode aired on December 9, 1960 and was produced by Granada Television. It was initially broadcast twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays at 7pm. A third weekly episode was added on a Wednesday in 1989. By 1996, Coronation Street was gaining so much popularity that a Sunday night episode was introduced. In 2002, a fifth episode was added, and in 2017, it increased to six episodes a week.
Coronation Street was broadcast in black-and-white until 1969, when it switched to colour television.
The original theme tune for Coronation Street was composed by Eric Spear. Six decades later and the wistful tune is still instantly recognisable, despite a few changes over the years. It appears four times in each episode – intro, outro and buffering the ad break.
Corrie’s theme is led by a cornet, which was played by musician Ronnie Hunt on the original recording. Hunt’s identity remained a mystery until 1994. The original tune was called Lancashire Blues and Eric Spear apparently earned only £6 for it back in 1960.
While the recording has been updated and rearranged a few times over the decades, the actual melody hasn’t altered much.
The theme was re-recorded in 2002 to give more polish, and then again in 2010 to mark the soap’s 50th anniversary. This new variation had fuller brass and strings, bringing a brighter, more modern feel that remains today.
Coronation Street hit our screens on December 9, 1960 at 7pm on ITV. The first episode was simply titled Episode 1 and watched by an audience of 3.5 million.
It opened with new Corner Shop owner Florrie Lindley, serving a customer and uttering the soap’s first line of dialogue. Also appearing in the first scene were Elsie Tanner and Ena Sharples, who would go on to become legendary Corrie matriarchs.
The central story of the pilot episode focused around Ken Barlow and his conflict with his father Frank. The pair clashed over Ken’s future ambitions before Ken retreated to the Rovers Return Inn and had a drink with Elsie’s son, Dennis Tanner, who had just been released from prison.
Viewers were also introduced to the layout of the famous cobbles, getting to know who lived at which house.
Since 2013 Coronation Street has been filmed on a purpose-built outdoor set at ITV Studios, at MediaCityUK in Salford, Greater Manchester. Prior to that it was recorded at Granada Studios in central Manchester.
The exterior Street scenes are shot at MediaCityUK on a full-scale replica of Coronation Street. Sorry to shatter the illusion, but houses on the world famous cobbles aren’t real. They are purpose-built shells designed to look like real terraced houses. So when you see a character walk up to their front door and step inside, they are actually going through a fake entrance. The same applies for the iconic Rover’s Return, which sadly is not a real pub.
When Corrie first aired in the 1960s, the Granada Studios set in Manchester did use facades of terraced houses. However, these weren’t homes where people actually lived.
Weatherfield has expanded over the years and now includes Victoria Street. This is where Roy’s Rolls and Prima Doner are located, as well as the luxury Victoria Court Apartments and the newer Redbank Apartments. 2022 saw the addition of the Weatherfield Precinct.
All interior shots are filmed on purpose-built studio sets in MediaCityUK. These include character’s houses, The Rover’s, Underworld and The Kabin.
A huge, and highly talented, team are responsible for bringing the magic of Coronation Street to our screens. From storyliners to writer, directors and producers.
Currently at the helm is Kate Brooks, who has been Series Producer since late 2024. Kate is assisted in her role by Verity MacLeod, who previously has worked in Coronation Street as a script editor, script producer, and assistant producer.
Verity is the wife of Iain MacLeod, Coronation Street’s former producer, who is in charge of overseeing both Coronation Street and Emmerdale at ITV and focusing on long-term creative strategy.
The Coronation Street writing team include some of the best creatives in the business. Mark Wadlow has over 400 episodes under his belt, while Joe Turner penned the unforgettable tram crash episodes in 2010. Award-winning playwright and TV Writer Jonathan Harvey joined the team in 2004, He was responsible for introducing the show’s first permanent gay character and he also wrote the 2010 stage show Corrie!
Coronation Street delivers three one-hour long episodes per week. These air on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, on ITV1, from 8pm to 9pm. Occasionally the schedule will be subject to change due to football matches or other major events.
If you don’t want to watch Coronation Street live, then you have other options. New episodes are uploaded on ITVX at 7am on the same day as transmission, ideal for viewers who don’t want to wait until the evening broadcast. ITV also releases new episodes on YouTube at 7am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. All episodes are available on catch-up via these streams.
ITV has announced a huge change to the Coronation Street and Emmerdale schedules, from January 2026. Both soaps will cut back their weekly episode count as part of a new ‘soap power hour’ format. Coronation Street will air for 30 minutes at 8.30pm, every weekday.
And if you’re feeling nostalgic, you can watch Classic Corrie every weekday on ITV3. These episodes usually air back-to-back on weekdays at 2.40pm and 3.45pm, and are repeated the following morning at 7am and 7.35am.
Ever dreamt about setting foot on those famous cobbles? Having a wander around Weatherfield? Meeting your favourite Coronation Street characters in the flesh? Well you can!
On select weekends and bank holidays, Coronation Street’s exterior set turns into a tourist attraction, giving visitors exclusive access. The Coronation Street Experience offers two different experiences. You can choose between The Guided Tour or The Star Tour.
The Guided Tour runs every weekend and gives fans chance to explore Weatherfield’s most famous landmarks. Over 90 minutes you will visit the exterior sets of The Rovers, The Kabin, Underworld and more, learning behind-the-scenes tricks and secrets along the way.
The Star Tour is even more exciting because you get the added bonus of being able to meet one of Corrie’s cast members. The line-up is always a surprise, so you’ll only find out who’s appearing on the day.
Alternatively, fans can visit to the Coronation Street exhibition. This is accessible on weekdays and allows you to explore replica sets, view props, costumes and memorabilia and watch some classic Corrie highlights in the on-site cinema.
Prices vary depending on which experience you choose and you must book tickets in advance through the Coronation Street Experience website.
Some 13 characters featured in the first episode of Coronation Street in 1960. And, incredibly, one is still here in present day.
William Roache has played the character of Ken Barlow since the beginning and holds the Guinness World Record for longest-serving television star in a continuous role. William, or Bill as he’s better known, first set foot on the cobbles 65 years ago. He’s remained a constant presence on the show, apart from a short break he took between 2013 and 2014.
University graduate Ken was introduced the audiences as an aspiring journalist who dreamt of a life far away from Weatherfield. He never did venture far away from the Street, but Ken has been centre of countless dramas over the years.
He’s probably best known for being embroiled in an epic love triangle between wife Deirdre and his sworn enemy Mike Baldwin. There have been many loves in Ken’s life, but no one ever compared to Deirdre, and her death in 2014 left him bereft.