Corrie's Betty in panto 34 years after first role

Corrie's Betty in panto 34 years after first role
Corrie's Betty in panto 34 years after first role

Coronation Street's Betty Williams is reprising her role as the Fairy Godmother in a Weatherfield Christmas panto - a part she played 34 years ago. The veteran character, played by 89-year-old Betty Driver, is the only member of the old guard to appear in this year's production of Cinderella. Betty told The Mirror: "It took me back to when we did Cinderella in 1975." She continued: "Mind you, I think my dress was a lot nicer this time around. It was fabulous with a gold bodice, a tiara and a magic wand. Last time I looked a swine. The dress was all white and very virginal." Sparks are sure to fly in this year's panto, set in the Rovers, as Claire Peacock (Julia Haworth) beats Becky McDonald (Katherine Kelly) to the part of Cinders, and consequently has to kiss Becky's husband Steve (Simon Gregson), who plays Prince Charming. Written by John Stape (Graeme Hawley), the play also features Jesse Chadwick (John Thomson) and Sean Tully (Antony Cotton) as the Ugly Sisters. The 1975 panto saw Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) in the role of Cinderella, and its supporting cast included Annie Walker, Bet Lynch, Alf Roberts and Albert Tatlock. Betty said: "Filming brought back lots of memories. I miss them all." Corrie's panto will air on Christmas Eve at 8.30pm on ITV1. Click here to watch whatsontv.co.uk’s new weekly soaps video preview, the Soap Scoop

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.