List of Coronation Street characters introduced in 1988
Coronation Street is a British soap opera, initially produced by Granada Television. Created by writer Tony Warren, Coronation Street first broadcast on ITV on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of characters introduced in the show's twenty-ninth year, by order of first appearance.
[|Harry Ashton]
Harry Ashton was an OAP who enquired about a vacancy for a paperboy at The Kabin in January 1988. Rita and Mavis tried to politely refuse but he had an answers for all of their concerns - he got up early every day to walk his loyal dog Jimmy, and he was obsessed with keeping fit. To prove he could manage the early hours, he volunteered for a trial run. Alan Bradley gave Harry the toughest round to test him, and he returned with the same enthusiasm despite a gang of kids pinching his flashlight. Rita and Mavis were impressed and he was taken on.While Harry insisted on being treated no differently from the other paperboys, Mavis gave him Priscilla Millbanks's round as it was the easiest. This didn't go down well with Priscilla and Wayne Pickles, who threatened to quit unless Harry was sacked as the job should go to a kid. Harry offered to resign, but Mavis instead called all parties to a meeting at Jim's Cafe where she got Wayne and Priscilla to agree to stay in exchange for reinstating their old rounds, and sharing Craig Atkinson's round between them while he was sick with a cold, but she made clear her feelings on their selfish, petty-mindedness.
As Mavis had saved his job, Harry asked her out to dinner at a place in the Precinct. Mavis tried to refuse but he wheedled a yes out of her. The evening was made awkward by the fact that Mavis thought Harry was spending what little money he had on her and tried to cut costs by suggesting they split the bill and then ordering an omelette and water. Harry told Mavis that he'd taken early retirement from his position as Senior at the Rates Office as his wife was ill but she died six months later, and so a job delivering newspapers coupled with his pension suited him very well.
A few days later, Mavis received a surprise visit from Harry's sister Muriel. Muriel was a spinster who, having lived with Harry since his wife's death, and been close to Harry since their parents' early deaths, was threatened by Mavis, and had come to the Kabin to inspect her. Muriel settled Mavis's worries about Harry's finances, telling her that Harry dabbled in stocks and shares but didn't give the impression of being wealthy as he didn't throw his money around. Muriel's motivation in visiting Mavis was obvious, however, and Mavis was very embarrassed. Harry asked Mavis to take what Muriel said with a pinch of salt, but Mavis told him she wanted to keep things formal from now on.
In April 1988, Harry and Mavis saw Cry Freedom at the pictures.
Harry lived in Nelson Street. He told Rita that he knew of Len Fairclough as he did job as his neighbour's house a few years ago.
Priscilla Millbanks
Priscilla Millbanks was a young girl who delivered newspapers for The Kabin in 1988. Along with Wayne Pickles, Priscilla gave Rita Fairclough and Mavis Riley an ultimatum that newly appointed paper-pensioner Harry Ashton be sacked or they'd quit. Priscilla and Wayne thought the allowances made for Harry's age were unfair on them as Priscilla had been given a more difficult round so that Harry could have hers. Mavis called all parties to a meeting at Jim's Cafe where she got them to agree to stay in exchange for reinstating their old rounds and sharing Craig Atkinson's round between them while he was sick with a cold, but she made her feelings clear on their selfish, petty-mindedness.Later that year, when Wayne beat up [|Jason Stubbs] for stealing his round, Priscilla warned Mavis that Wayne was planning to go on giving Jason a hard time.
Priscilla had a sister, Cheryl, who was expecting a baby in 1988.
Gina Seddon
Gina Seddon made her first appearance on 14 March 1988. She was originally played by Julie Foy. On 15 March 2017, it was announced that the character would be reintroduced, with Connie Hyde taking over the role. Gina returned on 28 April 2017.Gina is the younger sister of Sally Webster. She comes to Weatherfield to lodge with Sally and her new husband, Kevin. Gina has a one-night stand with Martin Platt while dating Billy Wyatt, leading to a fight between Martin and Billy. When Gina and Sally's father Eddie dies, Gina inherits £1,000 from his life insurance and leaves Weatherfield. When Sally is diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, she goes to stay with Gina for six months while she recovers from surgery.
In 2017, Sally is targeted by an internet troll and resigns from the council. Sally's daughters, Rosie and Sophie Webster, track down Leah Buckley, believing she is the troll. Leah denies being the troll, but her stepmother is to blame and will get her to stop. After Sophie tells Rosie about Sally's state, Rosie goes to see Leah and is surprised to spot Gina, who turns out to be Leah's stepmother. Rosie confronts Leah and demands to know if Gina is the troll. Leah explains that Gina has ill and has become bitter towards Sally, as she was there for her when she was ill, but Sally hasn't done the same for Gina. Rosie threatens to report Gina to the police, but Leah counter-threatens to go to the papers about Sally neglecting Gina when she was ill. Rosie tells Sophie who the troll is and they both go to see Gina and Leah, where they learn Gina has bipolar disorder. When Gina goes missing, Rosie and Sophie help Leah find her and Gina turns up on the street. Gina wants to talk to Sally, but Leah bundles her into the car and drives off. Sally and her husband, Tim Metcalfe visit Gina and Leah and invite them to stay with them and Sally helps find a home for Gina and Leah. Sally is upset when Gina confesses that she was responsible for trolling her. Leah makes plans to go to France with a friend and Tim overhears Leah on the phone, saying how Sally can look after Gina and Tim works out Leah was the troll and Gina goes missing.
Gina is later found and Leah is kicked out and leaves for France. Gina and Sally reunite their sisterhood and Gina begins to live with Sally. Gina starts a romantic relationship with Dev and moves in with him and starts working part time at his shop. She also gets employed to work as a machinist at Underworld with her sister Sally. Dev and Gina later end their relationship after a few months of dating due to Dev thinking the worst of Gina and her medicine not begin taken right. She moves back in with Sally but Sally is later framed for crimes she didn't commit and sentenced to 4 years in prison. While Tim and Gina try finding evidence that Sally is innocent, Gina finds that she has strong feelings for Tim and later sleeps with him while he's drunk. Tim then gets angry and kicks her out. Gina then starts a friendship with Kevin Webster who later agrees that Gina can move in at his. After Sally finds out that Gina tried to destroy her marriage, she doesn't take it well and tells Gina she means nothing to her. When evidence of Sally's innocence is discovered she is released from prison, Gina then tries to make bonds with her sister again but Sally refuses. Gina then wants to leave Weatherfield after being blamed for taking Sophie's money which Kevin actually took for a holiday. He later begs her to stay which she decides to do. When Underworld is closed down by manager Carla Connor, Gina and her fellow colleagues protest to get their jobs back. While Gina and Sally are up on the roof putting up posters they later begin to argue. Gina later offers her hand to Sally after she falls back but the Underworld roof has actually collapsed leaving Sally falling in the debris with Gina just missing getting trapped under. She and some neighbours from the street later try saving the people inside. When Gina and the paramedics save Sally, she is taken to hospital but Tim refuses that Gina goes with them in the ambulance and later starts helping out the casualties as they came out the rubble of the destroyed factory. A few days after the tragic event Gina tells Sally that Rana Habeeb was killed in the factory collapse leaving Sally shocked and fearful of her injuries. Gina later begins to feel guilty and starts to question if she and Sally were responsible for the roof caving in. She is later told that the roof could hold around 20 people and that she and Sally weren't to blame for the roof as it was in fact sabotage. Gina then tells Kevin that she wants to leave for good because she doesn't think that her and Sally can sort things out even after a life or death situation. She later tells Tim that she is leaving but notices something odd about him and stops the cab she is alter in the check on him. She later finds Tim in a state and calls for an ambulance. Tim is later hospitalised and told that he had a mini heart attack. Sally later thanks Gina and after Tim is discharged from hospital he thanks her too. Before Gina leaves she works things out with Sally and Tim and later leaves the street. According to Kevin, Gina has gone to Liverpool for a fresh start.
Arthur Watts
Arthur Watts was the strict and old-fashioned father of Curly Watts, who was considerably hen-pecked by his wife [|Eunice Watts]. He appeared in six episodes of Coronation Street and was played by three different actors over three stints in the programme. Kenneth Waller originally played Arthur, however his first name wasn't given until John Pickles took over the role in 1995. Beforehand, his name was revealed to be Harry in conversation, but credited as Mr Watts. Geoff Oldman took over the role when the character last appeared in 2002.Arthur was first seen in March 1988 when Curly went home to collect his double-bed from their house in Crewe, as he was set to move into the corner shop flat with his girlfriend Shirley Armitage. Eunice, his wife, didn't approve of this as she was against him living under the brush and refused to let him take the bed. Arthur and Eunice proved to be racist when they met Shirley as she was black and they disapproved. Eunice was very upset by the incident and refused to talk to Curly, but Arthur visited him in June. He tried to build bridges between Curly and Eunice, but this didn't work.
Arthur and Eunice didn't have a lot to do with Curly's life in Weatherfield and weren't seen again until Christmas Day 1995, when Curly and his first wife, Raquel Watts, invited their parents over for dinner. It was their first time meeting Raquel as their wedding was rushed. Raquel's parents, the Wolstenhulmes, were far more down-to-earth than the Wattses.
In March 2002, Arthur and Eunice attended the christening of their grandson, Ben Watts.