There was a major soap throwback tonight.
While tonight’s Coronation Street (15th August) shone the spotlight on Audrey Roberts, with star Sue Nicholls giving a memorably stunning performance as her alter ego opened up about her mental health, another talking point quickly arose thanks to Rita Tanner (Barbara Knox).
Before the mood turned sombre, Rita, Audrey and friends Ken Barlow (William Roache) and Roy Cropper (David Neilson) enjoyed a bit of fun as they reminisced over afternoon tea – and star Knox soon delivered comedy gold as Rita brought all the laughs to the table.
From instigating a spying mission to gracefully revealing her hiding place behind the leaves of a plant (hello!), Rita was on fine form tonight. She even offered to dance to ‘All The Single Ladies’ by Beyonce. We’re sure Queen Bey would have appreciated that!
But the moment that made us pause was when she casually revealed that she and Ken were once an item.
“Ken – look at me,” she said. “We had a fling, once.” Then, as Ken’s face paled, she added: “Did I actually say that out loud?”
Of course we needed to hear more, so Roy stepped in to ask Rita for clarification. She replied that her romance with Ken was very brief, and occurred just after he was “dumped by that posh girl”.
Ken was deadpan as he thanked Rita for that clearly unwanted trip down memory lane, and Rita soon moved on by revealing that she and late friend Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) once accidentally went to a swingers’ party!
But – sorry, Ken – we can’t help but dwell on that previous nugget of information. Rita’s time living on the cobbles spans a number of decades, so it feels like the right time we also look back on her history, Ken included!
Who has Rita dated in Coronation Street?
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Rita first appeared in the ITV soap in 1964 when she was offered a temporary room by Dennis Tanner (Philip Lowrie). She was working as a belly dancer and needed somewhere to stay, but Dennis’s gesture caused him some drama and eventually, his guest left Weatherfield again. Then, in 1972, Rita returned as the common-law wife to a man named Harry Bates (William Simons). But she wasn’t happy, and ended up attracted to Ken.
But, as Rita explained, their dalliance didn’t last long. She later started an on/off relationship with Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson), and although Rita was still with Harry at the time, she ended up committing to Len and they got married. All the while, Rita enjoyed some success as a club singer, and her union with Len endured many ups and downs until they decided to become foster parents. Len was killed in a car accident in 1983, after which Rita learned he had been having an affair.
Three years later, Rita took in Jenny Bradley (Sally Ann Matthews) and met her father, Alan (Mark Eden). Rita and Alan became an item, but Alan was a conman who used Rita’s money for his own gain. He tried to suffocate Rita and later began stalking her after the end of their relationship, and when she fled to Blackpool, he chased after her. But as he tried to force Rita to return home, Alan was killed by a tram, ending his reign of terror.
Rita wed Ted Sullivan in 1992, but Ted had a brain tumour and died just three months later. Fast forward a few years, Alec Gilroy (Roy Barraclough) proposed to Rita and although she turned him down, she later had a change of heart. But when the pair realised they didn’t trust each other, they broke things off. Norris also had deep feelings for Rita and he popped the question too, but Rita said no and the pair remained friends.
In 2011, Dennis returned after more than 40 years away from the Street. Rita and Dennis fell for each other and got together, eventually marrying. But when Dennis took a liking to Gloria Price (Sue Johnston), Rita was hurt. Dennis later left Weatherfield with Gloria, but returned to try and win Rita back. She told him in no uncertain terms that there was no going back, which was no less than he deserved!
Read more:
- Bernie’s Coronation Street double once had different role in the show
- Will Mellor to return to Coronation Street as villainous Harvey Gaskell
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