Coronation Street Legendary Corrie writer, John Stevenson dies

[Zombie Englishboy]

Coronation Street cast pay tribute to screenwriter John Stevenson

The screenwriter, who penned many of the programmes most memorable storylines, worked on more than 400 episodes - his final aired in 2006.

www.dailymail.co.uk

John Stevenson, one of Corrie’s most prolific scriptwriters with 447 episodes to his name (the third most of any writer after Adele Rose and Peter Whalley) has passed away from alzheimers at the age of 86.

Widely recognised as one of the programme’s most significant figures he was responsible for creating the characters of Mike Baldwin, Alec Gilroy, Fred Elliott and Ashley Peacock (amongst others)

Working on the show from 1976 until his retirement in 2006 he was responsible for writing the episode where Ernie Bishop was famously killed off at a botched wages snatch at Mike Baldwin’s denim factory.

He also scripted Bet Lynch’s ill fated return to the cobbles in 2002 and was the brains behind the high profile Mike Baldwin dementia storyline in 2004.

 

[Barbara On A Broomstick]

creating the characters of Mike Baldwin, Alec Gilroy, Fred Elliott and Ashley Peacock

Mike, Alec and fred ( I say Fred) were 3 great characters on Corrie - Mile with the classic Ken, Deidrie and Mile theresome and Alec and Bet a great double act

Was on a plane yesterday and it was a long flight - watched a Corrie at Xmas video, so many happy memories of a cast so many no longer with us - to pass the time

RIP John Stevenson

 

[Zombie Englishboy]

I forgot to mention that John was also responsible for creating the character of Jack Duckworth and for penning Corrie’s first ever “two hander” episode with Curly and Raquel in 2000.

Outside of Corrie, he also co created and scripted (in conjunction with ex Corrie writer, Julian Roach) the hit Granada tv comedy series, “Brass“ in the early 1980s which featured amongst others the future Corrie actor, Geoff Hinsliff (aka Don Brennan) in an early tv role.

In 1985, once again in collaboration with Julian Roach, he co scripted yet another sitcom, this time “the Brothers McGregor” (once again for Granada tv) with this “spin off” series focussing on two characters who had originally appeared in “Coronation Street” in 1982.

Prior to this, John had originally “cut his teeth” in tv by writing scripts for the hit sitcom, “Nearest and Dearest” (produced by future Corrie supremo, Bill Podmore) and starring music hall comedians, Jimmy Jewel and Hylda Baker (once again for Granada television).. It was good natured, end of the pier northern humour although, I believe, its two stars hated each other in real life.

 

[soapfan]

Julian Roach, along with John Stevenson are 2 of Coronation Street's best ever writers and quite prolific along with Phil Woods, Mervyn Watson, Joe Turner and Mark Wadlow.

Actor Charles Lawson on GB News says that having the character Jim McDonald returning in the current show would be a disservice to John Stevenson, that was how highly Charles regarded John.

Thinking of other present writers/producers who would and could match them eventually, they include:-

Carmel Morgan
Chris Fewtrell
Damon Alexis-Rochefort
David Proud
David Lane
Debbie Oates
Ellen Taylor
Jan McVerry
Jayne Hollinson
John Kerr
Jonathan Harvey
Julie Jones
Mark Burt
Martin Sterling
Simon Crowther
Stephen Lowe