Original subtitles

Trouble brewing, then, is there?

Who do you know?

For over 60 years...

We're talking about you. And you, Mother.

...Coronation Street has given us

some of the strongest feisty female characters...

Well, the time for talking is over, you dirty tart.

...in British soap.

Don't tell me what's my business and what isn't.

Well, I AM telling you.

Oh, you haven't, have you? Ooh!

You've done it again, haven't you?

From the outspoken...

This is for my job interview. What job? Prostitute.

...no-nonsense... Mother!

Well, I'm here to tell you, no more of it!

...and brutally honest women...

When Cassie got rid of you, I said, er... "Good."

And looking at you, I don't think I was wrong.

...to the loud-mouthed and stubborn...

Oh, mind your own business!

...we pay tribute

to some of Coronation Street's most notorious battleaxes.

We're engaged, Gail and me.

You what?!

Corrie's long tradition with no-nonsense women

started right at the very beginning,

with the original battleaxe: Ena Sharples.

I could have written a full-length book about you, let alone a letter!

But if I had written it...

If I had written it, it wouldn't have come anonymous.

Oh, no. I've never been afraid to stand behind my own beliefs.

If I had written the flamin' thing, it'd have had "Ena Sharples"

in big black letters at the bottom of it, well you know it!

Once described as "Winston Churchill in a hairnet",

Ena was formidable in appearance, and had the sharpest of tongues.

Who was here first? I was.

Forgive her her trespasses...

Take not the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Two halves of mild and a packet of crisps.

She was the type of woman

who could down three pints of milk stout in a heartbeat.

Ooh, that Elsie Tanner. She was just the same during the war.

She bought clothing coupons off me,

and she never got the money for that from what she earned

out of munitions, and don't you tell me she did!

All right, I hear you're looking for someone. Well, I'm her. Oh!

Mrs Sharples, I presume?

Next time you want to start a battle,

pick on somebody your own size. It'll be next Bonfire Night

before she gets over what you said to her.

I come from another Coronation Street.

All right, that's enough...

The self-appointed guardian of the street,

Ena was respected by all, feared by many.

The Council decided - You don't wanna put any trust

in them skinny-shanks and pot-bellies. Get on.

The Council have decided, once and for all,

that our street remains Coronation Street,

and the others are all changed.

"Once and for all" has got nowt to do with it.

Oh, why can't you leave well alone?

Now, look, what special qualifications has your street got?

There's more of us than there is of you.

And what coronation did your street celebrate? King Edward's.

Well, ours is Victoria's, but don't let me interrupt.

Argh! Why can't you drop it?

And why don't you go and make a pest in your own place?

Go on and make a pest of somebody else! Go on!

I heard you were an 'ard nut.

Yes, and you haven't cracked me, and you won't!

♪ Who run the world? Girls. ♪

Oh, so the grub's come out of the apple, has it?

Oh, shut it, Hilda.

A decade after Ena set the trend,

two more loudmouths hit our screens:

the fearless Vera Duckworth,

and her outspoken pal, Ivy Tilsley.

Get her to come over here.

They can't just take her off piecework like that!

The supervisor'll not let her leave her bench.

Oh. That's how it is, is it? Where you going?

And right from the beginning,

they were a force to be reckoned with.

Here, Vera, what do you think you're up to?

Oh, no. What do you think YOU'RE up to, Mr High-and-Mighty Fisher?

Bolshy and frightened of no-one...

You were spying on us! Hang on a minute, give me that.

Well?

If you want to discuss ways

of increasing productivity in this factory,

there's proper channels of communication.

Now, look, Ivy, you may be the shop steward around here,

but you've got no right to tell me how to do my job.

Oh, haven't I? You either tear that up, or we don't do another tap.

This pair of battleaxes called the shots.

I-I think we'd better see what Mr Baldwin has to say about this.

Well, that suits me. Sit tight, girls, till I come back.

What the hell are you two trying to do, eh? Bankrupt me?

And when Ivy wasn't being a pain in Mike Baldwin's backside,

she was busy interfering at home.

We've come to tell you something.

Oh, aye? What's that, then?

We're engaged. Gail and me.

You what?

I said we're engaged, Mam.

GAIL: Yeah, we are.

In the late '70s,

Ivy's power struggles with daughter-in-law Gail were legendary.

Been in The Rovers, have you?

I have. Was Brian there?

As if you didn't know.

Left him to do his dirty work on his own, have you? Pardon?

He's sold his bike.

Brian has?

To some mate at work.

Oh, I thought you'd be chuffed about that.

Well, I only hope you're as quick at chucking your fourpence-worth in

when it comes to forking out to put a car on the road.

The difference between you and me, Ivy,

is I happen to think Brian's old enough to make up his own mind.

And I happen to think he ought to be allowed to.

Gail, take this ring,

which I give to you as a sign of my love and fidelity.

In the name of the Father...

Ivy's obsession with Brian was usually at the heart

of her strong opinions and her acid tongue...

Sausage and chips...

Hello, Ivy. ..earning her the tabloid nickname Poison Ivy.

Are you helping out? No, I'm working here.

Like, full-time working here? More or less.

Well, you never said nowt, Gail. You never said a word about this.

I didn't have to. Oh, didn't you?

No. I don't see that it's got anything to do with anybody.

Oh, and I suppose it's got nothing to do with baby Nicholas?

Look, you've no business working here.

Ivy! Don't tell me what's my business and what isn't.

Well, I am telling you.

Do you mind letting my staff get on with their work?

She's no business doing your work!

Look, Ivy, come on... You don't need the money.

My son is slaving out there and sending good money home.

I know what he's sending!

In 1989, over 24 million viewers watched

as Ivy's beloved son Brian was fatally stabbed.

Gail? There's a police car out here.

The police?

Mrs Tilsley? Yes?

Is your husband's name Brian? Yes, it is.

What's all this about?

Alf's brought us some very bad news, love.

Oh, dear!

Is it one of t'little kiddies? Is Sarah Louise poorly?

No, i-it's not the kids...

Our Brian.

Has summat happened to him?

Yes.

Now, you're going to have to be very strong, love.

He's dead.

No...

No!

SOBBING: No!

I'm sorry.

Ivy? For the first time...

Gail.

...mother and daughter-in-law united in grief.

I'd rather hear what it is you have to say to my face, Ivy.

But it didn't last, and when Gail tried to move on,

Ivy continued to be as direct as ever.

You've been having Martin Platt stay at your place?

Oh, Ivy... Martin is a friend of mine.

He's also been very good with Nicky.

That's not answering my question, Gail.

No. I've no intention of answering your question, Ivy.

What I do with my life is my business.

What about the scandal, Gail?

Have you thought about the gossip it's bound to cause?

No, but if there is any, I'll know who started it.

Oh, it started when you started taking up with this - this layabout!

Oh! He's a layabout now, is he?

And what am I, Ivy? What names would you like to call me?

Nobody's calling you names. And th-the kiddies, Gail!

You're not thinking of my kids, Ivy!

Oh, yes, I am. No, you're not, you're using them.

You're using them to keep control over me.

And we both know why that is, don't we?

Because you still blame me for what happened to Brian.

May God forgive you, Gail.

Yes, well, he might, but you never will.

And when the abuse wasn't being directed at Gail,

Ivy was attacking her new man, Martin.

I've got one thing to say to you. What?

If you think owt about our Nicky, like you pretend to do,

you'll show it by keeping well away from his mother.

What is all this? You heard me.

You just keep away from her, will you, you - you animal!

Oof!

Martin was one of many men on the receiving end

of Coronation Street's list of firecrackers.

SHE CHUCKLES

Coming up, more brutal honesty...

Well, there's no need to ask what you've been up to. Who's the father?

...hen-pecked husbands...

I'll put a stop to his little games.

...and a woman not to be messed with.

Cheapskate. Racketeer!

Welcome back to Coronation Street: Battleaxes.

That's how it is, is it? Shh!

Ever since the original hair-netted,

loud-mouthed Ena Sharples graced our screens...

Do you know how long I've been getting a loaf from this shop?

But... 40-odd years. You should be giving me a gold clock,

never mind putting my name on a list!

And I am NOT your grandmother!

...Coronation Street was founded

on its Northern, working-class battleaxes.

Well, you know what you can do, don't you?

And when these women fight...

You can have this one on me!

...the gloves are off.

Hilda, you never was a match for the sun

when it comes to brightening folks' mornings,

but even you seem to be excelling yourself this morning.

What's up wi' you? It's kick a flamin' Oggy week again, in't it?

Well, it can't be owt I've done. I've only just got in.

No... Vera flamin' Duckworth.

In the late '70s,

there was one battleaxe who was deafening.

Have you seen my nose? I didn't do it on purpose!

For over 30 years, Liz Dawn played the formidable Vera.

Get off me!

You've drenched your chips good and proper now.

No, now, come on, I didn't mean it!

Well, they know our Jack's thick, don't they?

They shouldn't take advantage of him, should they?

Thank you, too, Vera, for your vote of confidence (!)

I am deeply touched!

Starring in over 2,000 episodes...

Get back to the gutter, you, where you've crawled from.

...she entertained millions with her fighting spirit...

You've not heard t'last of this, Alf Roberts.

...and her straight talking.

Admiring my stone cladding, are you?

Well, it's certainly eye-catching.

Mrs Duckworth.

Now, I've always believed in calling a spade a spade.

And on the same principle, I've always believed

in calling a monstrosity a monstrosity. Oh, yeah?

The sight of your house'd wipe the smile off anybody's face.

Well, you cheeky old thing!

These things are very much a matter of personal taste.

Yeah, well, that's summat he hasn't got!

I'm not going to stand here and bandy words.

No, you go. Go on!

Go harass a few motorists, see if you can get knocked down.

Vera picked her battles with everyone.

But it was wayward hubby Jack who got the rough end of the stick.

Jack, if you're going home,

I'd chuck a piece of raw meat in first, if I were you. Oh, 'eck.

His wandering eye was always getting him into trouble.

I think we're gonna have to box clever.

Work summat out, you know, between us.

And no matter how hard he plotted, she always caught him out.

Look. I tell you, Ivy, he's on heat.

And I'm seeing none of it. Get away, Vera.

Your Jack's never paid for this meal out, surely.

Well, somebody has. Look at the date!

That's when he should have been at that snooker match, remember?

And his alibi didn't hold up.

Like who? Somebody who doesn't think I'm past it.

SHE LAUGHS Who?!

Tina. Give over!

Ha ha!

You're old enough to be her father! Tina!

She wouldn't show you across the zebra! Ha ha!

Why did she let me take her out the other night then, eh? Eh?

Answer me that!

It all started with him messing about,

coming on heavy, you know. Yeah, I know.

But I promise you, Vera, I didn't encourage him.

But there was only so much Vera could endure.

He took it as a cue for a date.

Well, that's what I can't fathom, you see.

If you felt like that, why did you go out with him to this restaurant?

Oh, that? I just did that for a laugh.

You what? Well, for a bit of a joke, see how far it'd go.

You little cow!

Vera, you promised! "A bit of a joke"?!

Well, I'm telling you,

nobody makes a joke out of my husband!

Who the hell do you think you are, eh?

Oh, yes, I think you handled that very nicely. Belt up, Alec!

Yeah, that's what you all think round here, in't it?

The Duckworths, village idiots. Good for a laugh.

Leave this to me, Bet...

Well, I won't have it said by you, you little trollop!

Behind closed doors, like any marriage,

they had to fight to make things work.

Made a right mug of you. Only you're too thick to see it!

Stitched you up good and proper, hasn't she?

Made pillocks of t'pair of us.

And all because flamin' Jack Duckworth,

he can't face up to getting older.

No, he's got to chase around like a sex-mad dog!

All right, I'm pillock of the year, hands up.

But their troubles only seemed to make them stronger.

But do you love me? I don't know.

Come on, love.

Course I do.

SHE SOBS You shouldn't need telling.

But I do.

I love you, Vee.

Oh!

SHE SNIFFLES

You EVER do this to me again...

and you're dead!

And from one powerhouse to another.

Honestly! You can't half be smug when you want to!

I mean, who elevated you to holy sainthood all of a sudden?

Since when did you become a nun? Yes, I've had blokes.

I've never hid it from you, and I've never been ashamed of it.

But there's always been summat to it. Oh, come on, Mother.

Who are you trying to kid? Some of 'em were a right load of rubbish.

We're talking about you. And you, Mother.

And where, all of a sudden, you get the right to lecture me.

I may have been wild, and I may have been stupid,

but I never let myself get picked off the streets

by any Tom, Dick or Harry.

I never behaved like a dirty little tramp!

We've only got your word for that, haven't we?

♪ R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find out what... ♪

Maggie Jones made her debut as Deirdre's mother Blanche in 1974,

but it wasn't until the '90s

that she became a regular in Weatherfield.

Hello! I'm back!

Oh, it's good to have you back.

Welcome home, Gran!

Well, there's no need to ask what you've been up to.

Who's the father?

This used to be a quiet, respectable street.

Then you moved in.

No-one was safe from Blanche.

We could ask the Council about traffic calming measures.

Like speed bumps? Oh, no, they're so ugly and unattractive.

So are you. Least they'd do some good!

But she saved her most cutting comments

for her nearest and dearest.

What have you got all dressed up for?

They can't see us sitting here. You can mock.

You never know what can happen after you've been on telly.

I mean, like them that won Pop Idol.

I might get offers.

LAUGHING: Offers?! What offers?

Well, I don't know... Opening supermarkets and the like.

NOBODY is gonna ask you to open a supermarket!

How do you know?

Good looks are a curse.

You and Ken should count yourselves very lucky.

And Ken couldn't get much luckier

than when his mother-in-law became a permanent fixture

at number one Coronation Street.

Something happened? Your boyfriend phoned.

What? You've been outed!

Look, I am not homosexual!

"Then the cock crew."

HE HUFFS

When did she cook all this up?

Well, your reading matter didn't exactly help.

Was it a present from Ted?

I mean, he phoned for you, whispering sweet nothings.

He'll "see you in the hotel"?

An assignation, isn't it?

I have a perfectly pleasant evening in store

with an interesting man who has lived life to the full. Smitten.

DEIRDRE STIFLES LAUGHTER

Oh, Ken... Don't wait up!

While she spent most of her time fighting against her family...

Don't read anything into that!

...occasionally, she would make a kind gesture,

when it mattered the most.

Can I say something? Can I stop you?

Try and hang onto him this time.

It's not many get a second chance.

SHE SIGHS I know.

Let me look at you.

You're so lucky. And so's Ken.

Lucky to have you!

You're a good daughter, Deirdre.

A good girl.

Oh, Mum.

♪ I'm lookin' for A hard-headed woman... ♪

I just can't seem to get my head round the fact that she's... gone.

Not sitting in that chair, face like a smacked backside,

slagging off my shepherd's pie.

And in late 2009,

when actress Maggie Jones passed away,

viewers were told that Blanche had died while on holiday in Portugal.

I thought nobody could stand my mum.

You know better than that, love.

♪ You made me do my best... ♪

The filming of Maggie's on-screen funeral

coincided with her real life memorial,

making these scenes all the more poignant for the cast.

She would have been made up to see everybody here like this.

Saying goodbye to Blanche marked the end of a formidable character.

Thankfully, it wasn't long till her mantle was passed to someone else.

Well? What do you want?

In 2018, Maureen Lipman joined the Coronation Street cast

as Evelyn Plummer... and wasted no time in ruffling feathers.

That's me. What?

Well, I've drank your tea, if you'd call it tea.

I needn't stay here any longer.

Well, you've nowhere else to go.

I don't care. I'd rather live in a skip.

The spiky 70-something denied Tyrone was her own flesh and blood.

Just think about it, Nan... What did you call me?

Hey! You say that again,

you'll feel his teeth in your backside. If he had any.

You'll find out, if you want!

I don't get it! Why are you so dead against me helping you?

I don't need help. I never have, and I never will.

Fine. Be like that.

But if you think this is it, then you're wrong.

Because I don't give up on people. Not family.

And deep down, I don't think you do either.

Oh, you think you know me, do you?

Well, I'd like to. If you'd just let me.

When Cassie got rid of you, you know what I said to her?

I said, "Best move you've ever made. Good."

And looking at you, I don't think I was wrong.

Of all the wicked, spiteful things to say! Get out!

Turning their lives upside down,

she liked to make people think she had a heart of stone.

Ooh, who came off worse, you or the hedge?

What hedge? The hedge you were dragged through backwards.

She's not had a comb through her hair yet.

Last one's probably still in there.

Ty, I am NOT having this.

Not having what? Her! She's playing favourites!

Can't you see? She's always on at Hope,

but Ruby can do no wrong. It's like blood's thicker than water for her.

No, I'm sure that's not the case.

HOPE: Leave me alone, you old witch!

EVELYN GASPS Did you hear that?

She said her dog had nicer breath!

I was reminding her to clean her teeth.

I mean, she yawned just now,

and I thought somebody must have opened a wheelie bin.

And when she wasn't causing arguments at home,

she was making friends with her new neighbours.

I don't think I've seen you in here before, have I?

I'm not surprised, at these prices. Daylight robbery!

Is this your idea of a joke, then?

I beg your pardon?

You've made me look like a Chihuahua in a wind tunnel.

He's only here because I needed his Woody.

She's referring to my vehicle.

Yes, but, you know... Between you and me, to be honest,

I've seen more life in a mint imperial.

Well, it'll be prize-winning if you talk to them.

What makes you say that?

Well, nothing like manure to make things grow.

That oaf is no more the real Father Christmas

than I am the real Tooth Fairy.

If I heard him coming down my chimney,

I'd be getting the firelighters out.

Oh, this is Rita. I'll introduce you.

Rita, this is Evelyn, my long-lost nanna.

Hello, love.

And this is Cerberus, her dog.

Yes, she can see it's my dog. Does it race?

No, he's retired, he is.

D'you know, years ago,

I used to love going to Belle Vue, to the dog races...

Oh, the memories.

Right, are we gonna find that cafe? Because I'm gaspin'.

I'm just showing her around.

Lucky you (!)

Following in the long line of battleaxes...

It's dry.

...Evelyn's here to stay.

Luckily, there are plenty of dominating matriarchs

and battleaxes in training.

Corrie's foundations have, and always will be, built...

Well, the rat-faced little twicer!

...on strong and powerful women. You've got till tomorrow.

Bring on the next generation.

I'm having a great time!

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