Colin Jackson - Played By Paul Lowther

What the Mrs doesn't know... Colin Jackson (Paul Lowther) faces a stressful time at the Tilsleys' in 1981.

I've had a couple of enquiries about the "Once Around Weatherfield" Quiz, and so have decided to demonstrate how it should work, using the first character selected, Colin Jackson, played by the late Paul Lowther.

The idea is to identify the pictured character and the actor concerned in each instalment of the quiz, and then write a piece about the character, the story-line and the actor who played the role. It must be as accurate as you can make it, but you can include your opinions - as long as you make it plain that they ARE your opinions, and a spot of humour never goes amiss. This, to show how it's done, is my piece on Colin Jackson and actor Paul Lowther.

Colin Jackson turned up in the Street's story-line in May 1981, the husband of Sue, played by Kate Lock. Sue was a friend of Gail Tilsley's and a neighbour on the Buxton Close estate, where Gail and Brian lived with their baby son, Nicky.

Sue sat at home "staring at the walls", while Colin worked as a salesman - selling fitted kitchens. Colin had done his time as an electrician, and made it plain to Gail and Brian that he had "drive". Sue was quite a strong person herself, but seemed happy to let Colin make the decisions. For instance, there would be no baby until they had a video tape machine (very expensive in those days and very rare in the nation's living rooms!) and a larger house. Sue thought that the estate was snobbish, that people walked by your house pricing up your curtains, and was glad to have found a friend there in Gail.

Colin was of the "I Love Myself, Who Do You Love?" breed of men. He fancied himself something rotten, and thought that Gail fancied him too.

The Jacksons seemed rather more modern than the Tilsleys, and were something of a breath of fresh air. It was good to see other residents of Buxton Close, and to break away a bit from the financial worries and squabbles of Gail and Brian.

Unfortunately, the Jacksons didn't last long. Colin offered to fix Brian's record player, and when Gail said he'd be useful if the TV went wrong, Colin took it as a green light to make a pass at her. He leeringly told her that she should tell Sue he was needed to attend to the TV (or "the box" as he called it), clearly inferring that would be a cover for something quite different, if she wanted him to visit. For some reason, Gail (I would have thought she'd have had some inkling of trouble brewing after Roy Thornley - she wasn't exactly Snow White) did not pick up on Colin's double meaning, and the next thing we knew was that the Tilsleys and Jacksons were off on a riverside picnic together.

Once again, Colin made comments to Gail that most 1980's women would have seen for exactly what they were, like the fact he'd rub her sun tan lotion in if ever she wanted him to, but Gail was blissfully oblivious.

Get the feeling Gail was a bit of a plank?

Colin made his pass at Gail after the picnic, with Brian out at work for the evening. Gail was outraged and slapped his face. Colin retreated, but the next day caught up with her while she was out with Nicky, and asked her not to tell Sue. She said she wouldn't.

Colin heaved a huge sigh of relief, which made my wonder about his feelings for his wife. He clearly DID value his marriage, and I wondered about the Jacksons' relationship. It seemed fertile ground for further exploration, and I was impressed by the energy and sensitivity the actor brought to the role.

Playing a cad is not easy! Stopping the cad from becoming a stereotype, particularly with rather a thin script (the Jacksons, being brief stayers, were not very rounded characters) is even harder.

Sue wanted Gail and Brian to go away for the weekend with her and Colin. She and Colin visited them and Sue was determined to get them to say yes. Colin's expression flitted from tight smile to discomfort and on to fear as Sue made her case. The Tilsleys had conferred, and Brian had agreed not to spill the beans to Sue about Colin's unwanted attentions to his wife. But they couldn't possibly go away with the Jacksons for the weekend! They were all ready with their reasons not to: Brian couldn't get time off work. Sue told him to tell his boss his pet duck had died; Gail's mother was coming for the weekend. She could come anytime, Sue said...

Sue quickly became offended by Gail and Brian's excuses. Colin looked even more stressed (I admire actors who can subtly convey a great deal of emotion simply with facial expressions!) and the friendship was declared over. Sue flounced out, Colin made to follow and Brian grabbed hold of him by the collar and warned him never to go near his wife again. That was the end of the Jacksons.

Gail said it was a pity because she liked Sue.

But Colin was, of course, a thoroughly bad lot. She didn't need to say that!

Five years later, Gail revised her opinion about adultery and had an affair with Brian's cousin. Those TV times were changing...

RADA trained actor Paul Lowther also appeared in Dr Who and Casualty later in the 1980s, and the 1991 TV movie Prisoner of Honor.

I found his portrayal of Colin Jackson very convincing and particularly admired the way he played the scene in which Sue tried to persuade Brian and Gail to go away with her and Colin for the weekend, unaware of Colin's play for Gail. A baddie Colin may have been, but Mr Lowther's portrayal at that point almost made me feel sorry for him!

Colin couldn't keep up that tight smile as Sue tried to tempt the Tilsleys into a weekend away from it all...

I think the Street really needed some racier couples on a permanent basis back then. But it wasn't until 1989 and 1990, with the arrivals of Liz and Jim McDonald and Des and Steph Barnes that it got any.

The Jacksons were a vague hint of the shape of things to come!

I was very sorry to discover, whilst researching this article, that actor Paul Lowther died in 1992. His work as Colin Jackson - husband of Sue, former-electrician-turned-fitted-kitchen-salesman, the man who wanted a video tape machine before he wanted a baby, and the man who fixed Brian and Gail's record player, before disgracing himself with Gail - remains a fond memory of an outstanding minor character from the Street's glory days.

Norma Ford - Looking Retro In The 1970s...

Maggie Clegg (Irene Sutcliffe) and Norma Ford (Diana Davies) share a smile at the Corner Shop - probably over Norma's out-dated fashion sense. Norma went even more retro at Christmas 1972 for the Rovers 1940s Show, teaming up with Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) and Betty Turpin (Betty Driver) to sing Apple Blossom Time.

Actress Diana Davies revealed how her dress sense as the Street's Norma Ford in the early 1970s was actually out-of-date at that time in a 1987 interview - and earned her the nickname "Di the Thigh":

"I used to play shop assistant Norma Ford in Coronation Street. Norma was a bit behind the times so she used to wear mini skirts and hot pants, even though they were out of fashion.

"And I've got long legs - hence the name."

Diana inherited Paula Wilcox's wardrobe from the 1970 to 1971 comedy series The Lovers - so Norma, who made her debut in The Street in 1972, looked rather late 1960s. Mind you, with flared trousers and quite a lot of '60s hippie chic overshadowing the fashions of the 1970s, she didn't look too bad!

Norma wasn't alone. I mean, take a peep at Gail in the late 1970s: she sometimes looked as if Punk (and indeed at times the whole of the 1970s) hadn't happened. That dreadful coat she used to wear - so 1968, darling!

Gail Potter (Helen Worth) sees the Faircloughs off on their honeymoon in 1977. Ever heard of Punk, darlin'?! Study old magazine fashion articles from 1968 to 1973 and spot the Gails!

Terry Duckworth, supposedly street wise bloke-about-town in the 1980s, was often so out of date he looked like a right wally!

A related point is that nobody could call most of the Street's youngsters' tastes in music exactly cutting edge in the 1970s or 1980s either.

Dragged round various fashion shops by my older cousin, Sue, in the 1970s, I can vouch for the fact that the music played was current chart toppers. In The Western Front, Mike Baldwin's shop, staffed by Gail and Suzie, the music was horrendously out of date - late 1960s or early Roxy Music - and the music Gail and Suzie played at parties when Elsie was away was either yonks old or '70s '50s retro.

When Sally Webster, throwing a party at No 13 at the end of 1987, came up the hall warbling away to Shakin' Stevens' Lipstick, Powder and Paint, I nearly choked on me savoury rice and turkey sausages. Manchester was the city of Madchester at the time! Surely we could have at least had Pump Up The Volume?

All was explained in 1989, when Percy Sugden, ranting about late 1980s dance venues and "Acid Drops" (Acid House), described it as sounding like a ship's boiler house.

Kevin said he didn't know - he'd never been anywhere like that.

Good grief! Percy knew more about it than Kev!

Maybe Jenny Bradley listened? She kept her musical tastes to herself, with her trendy personal stereo, so it was hard to know just what she was listening to, but she did tell Rita that although her taste in music was eclectic, she didn't like 1970s!

I seem to remember that Sharon Gaskell was quite "with it" for fashion and music trends in the early 1980s, and when Curly Watts looked after Shirley Armitage's little sister in the flat over the Corner Shop, later in the decade, her friend turned up and brought her "blaster" (ghetto blaster) with her, and we actually heard some Hip Hop and saw some body popping!

My flabber was well and truly gasted!!

So, back to the main theme, clothes fashion-sense. Who scores honours as up-to-date young and trendy geezers and geezettes in our grotty backstreet of the 1970s and 1980s?

Well, for the 1970s it must be Suzie Birchall - beautifully cynical - she actually looked like a hard-faced '70s baggage - and managed to progress fashion-wise into the 1980s upon her return in 1983, actually looking like a hard-faced '80s baggage.

Of course, there was more to her than that. She was a gloriously complex character for one so young.

We love ya, Suz!

For the 1980s, it has to be Kevin and Sally Webster. I had a bouffant mullet and 'tache just like Kev's from around 1983 to around 1986, so it has to be deemed wonderful, and Sally's grasp of '80s female fashions - bulldog clips, shoulder pads, Minnie Mouse hair ribbons and crinkly perms - was second to none. TV critic Hilary Kingsley described her in 1988 as always looking: "young, fresh and fashionable."

Good on ya, Sal!

Hard to suppress a snigger with the benefit of hindsight, isn't it?

Mind you, seeing so many 1980s fashions back on the streets over the last five years or so, I do feel an occasional urge to adopt my old Miami Vice style...

I've still got that neon blue shoulder-padded jacket and cerise mesh vest stashed away...

1988 - Part Two!

Some Corrie moments of 1988... click on the image to enlarge, then read the text below for the full story...

Back we go, back down the time tunnel to the decade of big hair, big shoulders and big trouble. Yep, we're talking 1980s, and as we land in The Street this time, we discover more events of 1988 via screen captures.

The wedding of Mavis Riley and Derek Wilton (Thelma Barlow and Peter Baldwin) had not happened in 1984. Both had had second thoughts on the day. But after Derek had proposed to Mavis through the Kabin letter box in 1988, a second try was on the cards. Derek decided to spend his stag night at The Rovers, where his "pals" decided to have some fun: Martin Platt (Sean Wilson) phoned the pub's private number from the payphone and Jack Duckworth (William Tarmey) called Derek to the phone, saying it was somebody called Victor.

Victor?!!

Derek went to the phone and Martin, who had no idea what Victor Pendlebury sounded like, told Derek that Mavis had decided to marry him instead!

But Derek was not fooled. Returning to the bar, he said so:

"Victor Pendlebury has a voice once heard never forgotten. You find that with opinionated people. For another thing, Mavis would never desert me for him, never in a million years."

One thing was troubling Derek: Percy Sugden (Bill Waddington) was paying him close attention. Was he...? Derek asked Jack, making a limp wristed gesture. Jack pointed out that Percy was always saying that his happiest days had been in the Army...

Derek was worried.

And after two pints and a brandy he was also extremely drunk.

Vera Duckworth (Liz Dawn) told Mavis about Derek's sorry state when she arrived at her hen night party, and Mavis sped round to The Rovers, tremendously concerned. But Derek was safely concealed in the back and Alec and Bet Gilroy (Roy Barraclough and Julie Goodyear) told Mavis that he'd gone home for an early night before the Big Day arrived.

Mavis's hen night went well, apart from a sozzled Vera unwittingly introducing the spectre of 1984 to the revels by singing There Was I Waiting At The Church.

Percy took Derek home in a taxi. "PLEASE DON'T LET HIM TAKE ME HOME!" wailed Derek, terrified of Percy's intentions. But if he had but known it, Percy was his guardian angel.

Our Mr Sugden had elected himself as the man who would make sure that Mavis was not let down a second time.

As Percy told Ken (William Roache), he'd been in charge of seeing that men went to the firing squad, and they'd gone to that wall smiling!

"Probably with relief!" Ken muttered to Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride), rather uncharitably.

Despite last minute doubts on Derek's part, Percy got him to the registry office. And at long last, Miss Mavis Riley became Mrs Mavis Wilton.

At Jim's Cafe, Gail Tilsley (Helen Worth) had employed Gina Seddon (Julie Foy) to help out as a waitress and to operate her new sandwich round. Gail had bought a butcher's bike for the enterprise. Gina was excited, seeing great promise in the venture if they expanded it: "We'll be a couple of yuppies in no time!" she told Gail.

When Alma Sedgewick (Amanda Barrie) called a halt to the venture, saying that she'd rather Gail concentrated solely on the cafe, Gail was not pleased and gave in her notice. She would operate the sandwich round independently with Gina. Brian (Christopher Quinten) was horrified, deciding that the venture was doomed to failure. Upwardly mobile Gail had a dream in which she could fly. And Sarah Louise could fly. And Nicky. But Brian would never be able to fly, never in a million years, she bitterly told her baby daughter.

Phyllis Pearce (Jill Summers) was horrified, fearing that Gail was making a bad decision which might leave her jobless, and also that changes at the cafe might affect her own little job.

Having played at being the big boss, Alma was severely shaken by Gail's decision to leave. She'd have to employ somebody else. How long would it take? Would she be stuck working at the cafe herself for a while?

She announced that the sandwich round could continue and gave into Gail's final demand that she should have a share of the profits.

So, it all ended happily.

Or did it?

Brian's decision not to support Gail with her plans to set up on her own rankled with Gail. You see, Gail could tell Brian he wasn't doing right at any point in time, but if Brian, a mere man, didn't back what Gail wanted... well, that was very different.

And certainly did nothing for the Tilsleys' marriage.

1983: Gail's Driving Ambition

Newspaper clipping from 1983 - and Gail Tilsley is about to take her driving test:

Fingers will be crossed in Wednesday's Coronation Street on ITV at 7.30 that Gail Tilsley passes her driving test. As Gail (Helen Worth) tells husband Brian (Christopher Quinten) - who is a bit short of cash: "Think of the difference! You'll make more money and there'll be no need to get rid of the garage!" Oh, he's in there thinking, Gail.

Sadly, Gail failed her driving test.

Note that the BARB TV ratings listed below the Gail article show that Coronation Street was at Number 1 and Number 2 for the week ending 28 August, and at Numbers 3, 4 and 6 that other soap, Crossroads was bringing its "everyday" tale of motel folk into the homes of millions.

I loved Crossroads!

BACK ON THE STREET - MORE THRILLS THAN A NICE QUIET DRINK WITH EMILY AND ERNEST IN 1976!

Gail, Brian, Ian And Sarah Louise - Who's The Daddy?

Chris asks:

Do you have any screen grabs of Gail and Brian Tilsley as they were in the late 80's? Love the blog!

Thanks, Chris. Eyes to top of post for screen captures.

This is Gail (Helen Worth) telling Brian (Chris Quinten) that Sarah Louise is his daughter, not Ian Latimer's. She didn't really want to. Gail was quite happy going her own way, letting Brian believe that the baby wasn't his.

But when Audrey (Sue Nicholls) opened her gob to Ivy (Lynne Perrie) about the top secret facts, Gail was forced to tell Brian the truth.

Brian And Gail - The Big Question...

You remember Gail and Brian Tilsley, of course, don't yer? 'Course yer do - young marrieds of the 1980s - had a couple of kiddies, she worked in a cafe, he were a garage mechanic, she thought she'd got pregnant by his Australian cousin, he got stabbed outside a nightclub...

Anyway, back in the 1980s much was written about Brian and Gail. Were they going to be starring in a steamy bedroom scene? Was little Sarah Louise Brian's daughter or the other feller's? Why didn't Gail do something different with her hair? Why was Brian so muscular when the character only worked as a mechanic and never mentioned going to the gym? Did those big shoulder pads give Gail a more-than-slight resemblance to "Popeye"? Why had Brian suddenly grown a great big mullet?

And so on, and so forth - you get the picture.

But, apart from their famed "bedroom scene", Gail and Brian did something that was truly groundbreaking for Corrie couples back then - something no other Corrie couple had ever done before. Do you know what it was?

If you do, please leave your answer in the comments.

Said In The '70s - Part 3

1976: Tricia Hopkins (Kathy Jones) and Gail Potter (Helen Worth) are working together in the Corner Shop. Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) has just come into the shop to make a purchase, and the recently-returned Elsie Howard (Pat Phoenix) is the subject of conversation.

Tricia thinks that Gail is jealous of Elsie's glamorous appearance. Gail is outraged.

Gail: "Jealous?! What, of somebody 'er age?!!"

Tricia: "I'd like to see you when you're 'er age. You're grotty enough now!"

Gail: "Have you seen yourself lately?!"

Ena (annoyed): "Look, I don't like to break up a first class row, but would somebody give me a packet of tea?"

The Arrival Of Audrey - Gail's Changing Family Background...

Their first scene together on-screen: a despondent Gail (Helen Worth) greets her newly invented mother, Audrey (Sue Nicholls).

In 1976, Gail Potter told randy Roy Thornley that her father always called her his "dizzy blonde". When Mrs Thornley decided to cite Gail as co-respondent in the divorce case she was bringing against her husband, Gail wept horrified tears. What would her Dad think? And, worst of all, what would her Mam think? We got the impression that Gail's Mam would be shocked. Very shocked indeed. In fact, we got the impression that Gail's Mam was an easily shocked homebody.

We were able to piece together Gail's family background from various things she said over the years: Mam. Dad. Not well off. But comfortable enough. A happy and secure family unit.

Of course, Gail was not cited as co-respondent in the Thornleys' divorce proceedings in the end, so an appearance by her distressed and outraged parents at Number 11, where Gail lodged with Suzie Birchall, under the watchful eyes of Elsie Tanner, was unnecessary.

Nothing more happened to upset Gail's idyllic family set-up until 1979, when the Coronation Street script writers suddenly ripped up the cosy scenario and invented Audrey Potter. She was squawky, flighty, and no better than she should be. And she was the unwed mother of Gail.

Suzie Birchall invited Audrey to Gail's 21st birthday party and Gail was very distressed.

She didn't want her (newly invented), tarty, flashy mother on the scene.

But the birthday party turned out well, and Audrey would return to the Street several times before becoming a permanent regular character in the show in 1985.

The character of Audrey developed - her desire to be upwardly mobile after her wedding to Alf Roberts in the 1980s aroused many smiles.

And she suddenly sprouted a never-before-mentioned grown-up son called Stephen.

Our Aud is always good for a laugh - and a story-line.

Right up to the current day.

It's now thirty years since Gail's re-invented mother first put in an appearance in the Street, and twenty-four years since she became a permanent regular cast member.

Good old Audrey - far more interesting than a Dad who called Gail his "dizzy blonde" and a Mam who would have been shocked by her daughter being cited as co-respondent in a divorce case.

1979: The ITV Strike - ARRGGGHHH!!!

The Daily Star, August 28, 1979 - "Shake Down To 1979" - yeah, right! The ultimate year of that grim decade brought us the murder of Earl Mountbatten of Burma and a host of other grisly events.

You couldn't even watch your favourite soap to escape the grim realities from August to October as ITV was knocked off the air by a technicians' strike.

And in those days we only had three TV channels and, as BBC2 was decidedly "minority interest", that left the vast majority of us with BBC1. Videos? Sadly not. Only 5% of UK households had a VCR in 1980, they were expensive beasts, so in 1979 we were really stuck. Should we read? Should we talk? How could we spend our time without ITV? I fidgeted. And moped.

How I missed The Street! I ached for it! Deirdre had just received a letter from husband Ray in Holland that had reduced her to tears. What was going on?

Well, it seems life in The Street was continuing in our enforced absence...

From the Daily Star:

Coronation Street's best kept secret is out... Brian and Gail have got married.

And the Daily Star has beaten the ITV blackout to bring millions of Street addicts exclusive pictures of the happy event.

They were snapped by housewife Mary Watson, of Rutbleglen, Glasgow, who spotted the "wedding" party while visiting her sister in Salford.

"I couldn't believe my luck," said Street fan Mary.

"I was wondering what had happened to Brian and Gail - then suddenly there they were in front of me."

The stars came out in force to watch Gail - actress Helen Worth - and Brian, played by Christopher Quinten, tie the knot.

Gail wore white, and Brian's mum and dad, Bert and Ivy (Peter Dudley and Lynne Perrie) looked suitably impressed.

Cheryl Murray, who plays Gail's sexy pal, Suzie Birchall, made a radiant bridesmaid.

Said Mary: "I couldn't resist taking the pictures. The blackout may go on for ever, and some people would never know what had happened to the couple."

A spokesman for Granada TV said last night that they had been "swamped" with inquiries about Brian and Gail since the technicians' strike forced the show off the air two weeks ago.

Now you can stop biting your nails, folks, thanks to Mary's candid camera.

Say "Cheese!"

The wedding pic! Left to right: Audrey Potter (Sue Nicholls), Suzie Birchall (Cheryl Murray) Gail (Helen Worth) and Brian Tilsley (Christopher Quinten), and Ivy (Lynne Perrie) and Bert Tilsley (Peter Dudley).

Here's Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) and Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson) welcoming us back to The Street after the Strike had ended in October 1979. This was a special "reminder" scene, screened just before the first post-Strike episode was shown.

Len was alone at first: "Welcome back! We've missed yer! Now, I suppose I'd better remind you what was going on in our little street when you were here last. Well, there's always a bit of excitement about a wedding - can't imagine why! Gail and Brian are about to get hitched..."

As Len ran through current events, Bet, apparently on her way into work at The Rovers, joined him and asked if he'd heard about the letter Deirdre had received "from that rat Langton in Holland".

"What letter?" asked Len.

"Mind yer own business, it's nowt to do wi' you!" Bet teased. "I suppose I'll be seeing your ugly mug in there later?" - indicating The Rovers, and after a quick farewell, she went inside.

"See what I mean? It never changes, does it? There's always something going on!" said Len to us, the telly audience. "See you later!"

And the Granada logo flashed up and the opening credits began, and we Corrie junkies settled back for our first fix in ages.

BLISS!!

Helen Worth Remembers Pat Phoenix

Helen Worth, whose character Gail Potter lodged with Elsie Tanner from 1976 to 1979, fondly recalled her time working with the Street legend in a 1990s interview:

"The enthusiasm was extraordinary. She never lost the love of acting, she was always excited about a new scene or a new story line. She really did love it!

"Pat, at the best of times, would wander off from the script - because she used to enjoy it so much that she decided if she thought of something better to say, she'd say it! And it was up to us to follow her. Her cue for 'drying' [forgetting her lines] was always: 'If I bang on the table, come in with something!' And so that was really the way we worked!"

Pat as Elsie in 1976, in conversation with Annie Walker: "I'll tell you something, if I had the chance of a fella who'd give me safety and security, another chance of a fella who'd give me sleepless nights because I never knew what he was up to... I'd take the sleepless nights!"

Annie, who knew Elsie of old, replied: "I have no doubt!"

1978: Gail Potter, Elsie Tanner, Suzie Birchall And The Nuclear War Threat...

The 1970s were in the thick of the Cold War years. As a kid back then, I was terrified that America and Russia would go to war and that would be the end for all of us. I had nightmares about it, sweated about it, cringed at the (I thought) scary-sounding theme tunes of World In Action and News At Ten. I closed my ears as narrators and newscasters on these two programmes began to speak, convinced that the end was nigh.

I wasn't alone. My mate Pete and I often discussed the prospect of nuclear war, and we knew many other kids who shared our worries. An adult neighbour of my mine had stocked up a load of pills, which she showed us. She said she would take them when nuclear war was imminent.

I used to feel sick with fear at times. Then, for me at least, Coronation Street stepped in!

It was August 1978 and Gail Potter (Helen Worth) and Suzie Birchall (Cheryl Murray) were making a salad in the kitchen at No. 11...

Gail: "Do you think there'll be another war?"

Suzie (flatly - in a what is the silly moo wittering about now? tone of voice) "Do I think there'll be another war?"

Gail: "Do yer?"

Suzie: "How should I know?"

Gail: "They're talkin' about it, aren't they?"

Suzie: "Are they? Who?!"

Gail: "The Americans and the Russians."

Suzie: "Is that right?"

Gail: "Don't you even listen when there's News At Ten on?"

Suzie: "Only the interestin' bits..."

Gail: "Sometimes I get quite worried about it, honest I do."

Suzie (continuing her own train of thought): "... a divorce or someone dyin' and leavin' a load of money."

Gail: "Don't you care if there's another war?"

Suzie: "I don't think about it much - it don't bother me."

Gail: "Yeah, but if they do."

Suzie: "Well, if they do they wouldn't ask me anyway, would they?"

Gail: "That's the whole point, innit, they wouldn't bother askin' you, they'd just blow us all up."

Suzie: "Well, if they do ask me, I'll tell them not to bother, all right? I'll say they need their heads bangin', they should kiss an' make up."

Gail: "I think it's quite scary if you think about it."

Suzie: "Then DON'T. Is there any salad cream?"

Gail's fears continued throughout the episode, but cynical Suzie and worldly Elsie Tanner, both more concerned with getting on with living than worrying themselves to a standstill over something that might not happen, and they couldn't stop if it did, had a great effect on me.

For the first time I began to realise that I shouldn't spend time paralysed with fear over the nuclear threat. I was too young to join protest marches, I wanted to do OK in my O' Levels and basically my screwing my life up was not going to help anything.

The other day, I saw the 1978 episode of Coronation Street again and gasped as my feelings from way back then came flooding back. I remembered how terrified I was back in the 1970s, and how this episode of a soap opera helped me to get on with living.

Nowadays, other things are there to worry us and the Cold War ice, which thawed rapidly in the mid-to-late 1980s with Perestroika and Glasnost, is just a memory. When Bush and Gorbachev declared the Cold War at an end at Malta in 1989, my mother, who remembered the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, wept with relief. And what a party we had. And what a hangover I had afterwards.

But I haven't forgotten the terrible fear I felt, and no matter how daft I find Corrie in the modern day, I still have feelings of gratitude for that one episode back in 1978...

Jilted John And Gail Potter - "Stood Up" At The Flicks...

Simply one of the best pop records. Not just of 1978. Not even just of the '70s. But EVER.

Jilted John hit the charts just as I was on the very brink of teenagehood in August 1978 and it fitted my mood exactly. My hormones hadn't waited for the magic "13", due in October, and my body and moods were already undergoing thoroughly grotty changes. And had been since I was eleven.

So John's rantings suited me perfectly. John was really one Graham Fellows, and this record was a spoof of the Punk/New Wave songs around at the time - a tremendously clever one which had enormous appeal to us comp school kids. John was a bit of a retard, and, it seemed, also a bit of a "girly" (fancy crying all the way to the chip shop!) but somehow he struck a chord with me and a lot of "der lads" I knew back then.

As was the fashion in the Punk era, the song had a great 1950s guitar riff, and the "in" way to dance to it was with a 1950s hand jive. But you had to wear a thoroughly bored, pissed off expression whilst you did it. "Postmodern irony" some call it. Back in 1978, I had no idea what "postmodern" meant (it was just something the likes of Melvin Bragg liked to waffle about) and, despite studying theories of post modernity in the '90s, I remain unconvinced that it's not just a load of written and verbal diarrhoea, fresh from the bowels of academia.

Whenever I hear Jilted John, I'm instantly reminded of the grotty, greasy, zit-ridden little geezer I was back in 1978. Miserable little sod I was. And I had a hair cut just like Terry Wogan's.

I'm also reminded of the mates I had, some of whom are still mates of mine today. And standing in the local shopping centre during the evenings with said mates, "gobbing off" at passers by. And picking my zits. And being bored a lot of the time. And hating everything.

They were good days.

And by the way: Gordon is a moron.

Coronation Street, New Year's Day 1979, and Gail Potter (Helen Worth) is waiting for Brian Tilsley at the pictures. But who is the dashing fellow beside her?

Yep, it's Graham Fellows, AKA Jilted John, making a cameo appearance in The Street as a young lad who, like Gail, has been "stood up". He offered to go into the flicks with her, but Gail was not impressed. She never did know what was good for her that girl - remember how her life turned out with Brian, and think just how different things could have been had she settled down with Jilted John...

Mind you, she was a funny lass even back then. I mean, just LOOK at the gloves she's wearing...

Coming Soon...

In the 1970s, Gail Potter (Helen Worth) was terrified at the prospect of nuclear war. But cynical '70s Suzie Birchall (Cheryl Murray) took it all in her stride.

In the 1980s, our Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) first turned up in Coronation Street. He was a trendy young '80s dude, sporting moustache, buffant mullet and some rather tight jeans. He was rumoured to deputise for the dark haired guy in Hall & Oates on his days off from Tilsley's Garage.

We'll be taking an in-depth look at some Coronation Street storylines of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s in the coming months.