Arriving on the cobbles as Alma Sedgewick, this Coronation Street favourite was played by Amanda Barrie.
She went on to wed Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs), and was beloved by many characters until her devastating death.
Alma Halliwell’s debut was in 1981, when she was married to Jim Sedgewick (Michael O’Hagan), who owned the café that would later be known as Roy’s Rolls.
The couple’s marriage was loveless, leading Alma to have an abortion when she fell pregnant. She later ended their union, and Alma took over the business after her divorce, soon becoming popular for her working relationship with pal Gail Tilsley (Helen Worth).
She later sold her share of the café to, yes, you’ve guessed it, Roy Cropper (David Neilson), and it was then that Alma first crossed paths with the womanising Mike. True to form, their marriage ended thanks to his cheating ways, and Alma later reverted to her maiden name, Halliwell.
The character found herself kidnapped and at the centre of a siege during her time in Weatherfield.
But there was further heartbreak when Alma fell seriously ill, leading to one of Coronation Street’s saddest deaths ever.
What happened to Alma Baldwin in Coronation Street?
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While working at Freshco’s supermarket, Alma met security guard Frank. The couple got together and considered making a new start by moving away. But sadly, this would never happen as Alma faced a life-changing discovery over her health.
After missing routine tests and later being misdiagnosed, Alma discovered she had terminal cervical cancer in 2001. New beau Frank couldn’t face watching her die and left, leaving Alma’s closest friends to rally round.
She later chose to die at home surrounded by all those she loved. Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) shared a particularly emotional goodbye with Alma; and she was also visited by Mike and Ken Barlow (William Roache). Her final moments were spent at Audrey’s home, where she passed away just a few short weeks after her diagnosis, at the young age of 55.
But Alma’s last ever appearance on Corrie came after her funeral, when Audrey presented everyone with a video that Alma had filmed shortly before her death.
Alma had been at the heart of the show’s community for 20 years, and her demise remains one of the most heartbreaking to air in Corrie’s history.
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