Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Now Showing

Coronation Street

5.4
Yr 1960
Rt 22m
Status Returning Series
Soap
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Series Brief

Overview

The residents of Coronation Street are ordinary, working-class people, and the show follows them through regular social and family interactions at home, in the workplace, and in their local pub, the Rovers Return Inn. Britain's longest-running soap.

Status

Latest

  • Mollie Gallagher to exit Coronation Street — reported July 13, 2026
Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 88 /100

As Britain's longest-running television drama, Coronation Street quickly established itself as a monumental cultural phenomenon following its 1960 debut. Grounded in the gritty style of kitchen-sink realism, the series became the most-watched program on British television within six months of its broadcast. Retrospective commentators note that the show was at its peak during its early years, praising its hard-hitting portrayal of working-class life.

Despite its historic success, the show has not been immune to criticism over its long run. Some commentators highlight periods where storylines felt jarring or out of touch with contemporary life, such as late-1960s plots dealing with youth culture. Additionally, modern retrospectives comparing vintage episodes to recent broadcasts point out a decline in writing quality, arguing that later eras rely heavily on conventional soap opera melodramas.

Nevertheless, Coronation Street remains a cornerstone of British commercial television. Its sustained viewership and cultural resonance solidify its status as one of the most successful and enduring television dramas in the world.

“Although still immensely popular, the series was undoubtedly at its peak in its first decade.”

“Corrie is the most successful and longest running drama series in the world.”

“The storylines were awkward and jarring and served only to demonstrate how out of touch Coronation Street was with 'real' life”

Why fans love it

Coronation Street has defined the landscape of television in northern England since its start in 1960. It remains the longest-running soap opera in Britain, grounding its longevity in the everyday rhythms of Manchester life. The show anchors its narrative around the Rovers Return Inn, a social hub that mirrors the close-knit nature of a working-class community facing changing times.

Performances from long-standing cast members like William Roache bring a unique sense of history to these recurring roles. Rather than relying on high-concept drama, the series favors the consistent, recognizable friction of neighbors, family members, and coworkers navigating life together. This commitment to portraying ordinary people in familiar settings creates a social history that has evolved alongside its audience for over six decades.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 22
Longest run 4709 eps
Helen Flanagan
Helen Flanagan
as Rosie Webster
1211 episodes
Ryan Thomas
Ryan Thomas
as Jason Grimshaw
1952 episodes
Simon Gregson
Simon Gregson
as Steve McDonald
3337 episodes
William Roache
William Roache
as Ken Barlow
4709 episodes
Alan Halsall
Alan Halsall
as Tyrone Dobbs
3069 episodes
Doris Speed
as Annie Walker
776 episodes
Jack P. Shepherd
Jack P. Shepherd
as David Platt
2692 episodes
William Tarmey
William Tarmey
as Jack Duckworth
1302 episodes
Show 67 more
Chris Gascoyne as Peter Barlow 2854 episodes Sue Cleaver as Eileen Grimshaw 1185 episodes Alex Bain as Simon Barlow 2083 episodes Samia Longchambon as Maria Connor 1735 episodes David Neilson as Roy Cropper 3199 episodes Sue Nicholls as Audrey Roberts 3321 episodes Barbara Knox as Rita Sullivan 3881 episodes Jane Danson as Leanne Battersby / Leanne Tilsley 3085 episodes Violet Carson as Ena Sharples 764 episodes Isabella Flanagan as Hope Stape 902 episodes Sally Dynevor as Sally Metcalfe 3459 episodes Helen Worth as Gail Platt 3399 episodes Jimmi Harkishin as Dev Alahan 2856 episodes Julia Goulding as Shona Ramsey 941 episodes Mikey North as Gary Windass 2352 episodes Beverley Callard as Liz McDonald 3014 episodes Anne Kirkbride as Deirdre Barlow 2448 episodes Katherine Kelly as Becky Granger / Becky McDonald 1144 episodes Tina O'Brien as Sarah Platt 1675 episodes Julie Hesmondhalgh as Hayley Patterson / Hayley Cropper 1930 episodes Betty Driver as Betty Williams 1797 episodes Antony Cotton as Sean Tully 2371 episodes Vicky Entwistle as Janice Battersby 1176 episodes Georgia May Foote as Katy Armstrong 1306 episodes Johnny Briggs as Mike Baldwin 738 episodes Natalie Gumede as Kirsty Soames 782 episodes Michelle Keegan as Tina McIntyre 1392 episodes Malcolm Hebden as Norris Cole 2668 episodes Steven Arnold as Ashley Peacock 989 episodes Eileen Derbyshire as Emily Nugent / Emily Bishop 3302 episodes Bryan Mosley as Alf Roberts 810 episodes Michael Le Vell as Kevin Webster 1659 episodes Sally Carman as Abi Franklin 910 episodes Ellie Leach as Faye Windass 2169 episodes Craig Charles as Lloyd Mullaney 1881 episodes Kym Marsh as Michelle Connor 2128 episodes Bruno Langley as Todd Grimshaw 1059 episodes Jennie McAlpine as Fiz Stape 2850 episodes Marc Baylis as Rob Donovan 991 episodes Andrew Whyment as Kirk Sutherland 2675 episodes Georgia Taylor as Toyah Battersby 1357 episodes Harry McDermott as Max Turner 1787 episodes Maggie Jones as Blanche Hunt 915 episodes Stephanie Cole as Sylvia Goodwin 782 episodes Brooke Vincent as Sophie Webster 2145 episodes Patti Clare as Mary Taylor / Mary Cole 2234 episodes Kate Ford as Tracy Barlow / Tracy McDonald / Tracy Preston 2675 episodes Shobna Gulati as Sunita Alahan / Sunita Parekh 1074 episodes Sam Aston as Chesney Brown 2645 episodes Chris Fountain as Tommy Duckworth 782 episodes Daniel Brocklebank as Billy Mayhew 752 episodes Sally Ann Matthews as Jenny Bradley / Jenny Connor 1120 episodes Paula Lane as Kylie Platt / Kylie Turner 1328 episodes Ben Price as Nick Tilsley 2236 episodes Peter Adamson as Len Fairclough 767 episodes Jack Howarth as Albert Tatlock 776 episodes Samuel Robertson as Adam Barlow 1204 episodes Catherine Tyldesley as Eva Price 1378 episodes Alexandra Mardell as Emma Brooker 797 episodes William Flanagan as Joseph Brown 892 episodes Maureen Lipman as Evelyn Plummer 892 episodes Elle Mulvaney as Amy Barlow 2233 episodes Joe Duttine as Tim Metcalfe 1710 episodes Michelle Collins as Stella Price 782 episodes Alison King as Carla Connor / Carla Barlow / Carla Gordon 2622 episodes Dolly-Rose Campbell as Gemma Winter 1388 episodes Jane Hazlegrove as Bernie Winter 804 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Coronation Street overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

northern england community manchester soap opera british pub
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
December 09, 1960
Status
Returning Series
Episode Runtime
22 minutes
Origin
GB
TMDB Votes
118