Betty Williams

Betty Williams
Betty in 2009
Coronation Street
Portrayed by	Betty Driver
Duration	1969—
First appearance	2 June 1969, episode 881
Profile
Occupation	Barmaid
Residence	22 Hillside Crescent, Weatherfield
Relationships Parents Harold and Margaret Preston Sibling(s) Maggie Cooke Spouse(s) Cyril Turpin (1949–74) Billy Williams (1995–97) Romances Ted Farrell (1949) Children Gordon Clegg Grandchildren Peter Clegg

Elizabeth "Betty" Williams (née Preston, previously Turpin), portrayed by former music hall star Betty Driver, is one of the longest-standing fictional characters in the UK television soap opera Coronation Street. Driver was cast as Betty in 1969, after first auditioning for the role of iconic character Hilda Ogden. The character first arrived in Coronation Street to help her sister Maggie Clegg run the corner shop, and has since had a number of storylines which have seen her become twice widowed, and mother to an illegitimate son. Working as a barmaid in the soap's Rovers Return Inn, Betty created a signature dish, known as Betty's hotpot. In 1995, a real-life range of hotpots and pies based on the dish were launched by Hollands Pies, and in 2007, the world's largest Lancashire hotpot was created, based on Betty's recipe. Coronation Street producer Kieran Roberts has stated that there are no plans to retire the character from the show, despite her longevity and Driver's advancing age, with Driver agreeing that she will stay on the soap for as long as she is wanted.

Creation

Betty Driver, who had been performing since she was 8 years old, retired in the 1960s and worked in hotels in Cheshire.^[1] It was here that she was talent spotted by one of her customers, producer of Coronation Street, Harry Kershaw. Kershaw persuaded Driver to audition for the role of Hilda Ogden in 1964. The part eventually went to Jean Alexander as it was decided Hilda should have a skinnier build. Driver has commented, "Harry Kershaw, producer of Coronation Street, persuaded me to audition for Hilda Ogden - just think I could have been wearing curlers for 30 years."^[1] Several years later, she was cast as Betty Turpin instead, who entered Coronation Street in 1969. Driver has been in the role ever since. In a 2006 interview she laughed off the notion of retirement, saying: "From day one on The Street everyone has been very kind to me. In fact, I'm godmother to Bill Roache's son. So as long as they want me, I'm happy to stay. The Street is like home and they really are my family."^[1]

Development

Personality

In his 1998 book The Women of Coronation Street, Daran Little describes Betty as an archetypal mother figure. He compares her to one of Coronation Street's original characters Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant), insofar as she is "warm and comforting [...] loves cats and has had her share of lodgers". However, Little notes that "while Minnie wandered through life in a haze, Betty is sharp-witted, blessed with insight and wisdom". Discussing her evolving characterization, Little writes: "She hasn't always been the incarnation of lovable joviality: when she arrived in the Street in 1969, she was loud, brash and a vicious-tongued gossip."^[2]

Betty's two passions in life are darts and food. Playing darts brings out her competitive side, and she enjoys beating her male customers. Cyril frequently protests when Betty attempts to diet, as he prefers her "homely and comfortable" figure. Ultimately, Betty stops trying to lose weight, stating: "I had to chose between losing a few pounds or losing my marital partner. If my Cyril had wanted to marry a skinny rabbit he'd have married one."^[2] Betty breaks down when Cyril dies from a heart attack, with Little noting that: "Cyril had been the stabilizing force in Betty's life, and without him she relied heavily on her job and friends at the Rovers - she couldn't face life alone at home".^[2] Little has observed that Betty "has a finely tuned sense of right and wrong and has never been afraid to stand up for her beliefs", citing Betty's shock at being mugged in 1982, and calling the NSPCC to report a female neighbour whose children were left outside until nightfall while their mother entertained her boyfriend.^[2]

Backstory

Betty was born on 4 February 1920 to Harold and Margaret Preston. During World War Two, she had an affair with serviceman Ted Farrell, resulting in a son, Gordon. Ted left her to return to his family and Gordon was adopted by Betty's sister Maggie (Irene Sutcliffe) and her husband Les Clegg (John Sharp). Betty celebrated the end of the war with her sweetheart Billy Williams (Frank Mills), to whom she had lost her virginity. The two lost touch, and in 1949, Betty married policeman Cyril Turpin (William Moore).^[2]

Storylines

An early image of Betty Turpin in the 1970s.

Betty and her husband Cyril move to Coronation Street in June 1969, helping her sister Maggie to run the local corner shop following the breakup of her marriage to husband Les Clegg. Maggie, however, resents Betty's interference and persuades landlord Jack Walker (Arthur Leslie) to give Betty a job as a barmaid at The Rovers Return public house. Betty clashes with the landlady Annie (Doris Speed), who fears that Jack may find her attractive, and fires Betty as a result. Betty takes a job in a rival pub, and returns only when Annie apologises. Betty becomes close friends with fellow barmaid Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear), who on occasion lodges with her, uses Betty as a chaperone on dates, and frequently seeks her advice in running her life.

Cyril's employment as a policeman causes Betty problems when Lucas, a man he has previously arrested, begins stalking her. She initially refrains from telling Cyril, fearing that he will get into trouble. When Cyril finds out, he attacks Lucas with a piece of lead piping and has to leave the police force. Betty has a breakdown when Cyril dies of a heart attack in 1974, the same year the truth about her illegitimate son is revealed. She busies herself by taking in lodgers, and acquiring a ginger cat named Marmaduke for extra companionship.

On the fiftieth anniversary of VE Day in 1995, Betty is reunited with her wartime sweetheart Billy. The two marry several months later, and Gordon gives his mother away. They live happily together until Billy also dies of a heart attack in 1997. Betty becomes famous in Weatherfield for her hotpots, which come under scrutiny in the early 1990s when it is believed that they are contaminated. She is cleared of all wrongdoing when it is discovered that beer, not food, is responsible for a spate of stomach upsets. Betty acts as lady mayoress alongside mayor Alf Roberts (Bryan Mosley) when his wife Audrey (Sue Nicholls) has no interest in fulfilling her civic duties. This includes accompanying him to receive his OBE from the Queen, much to Audrey's chagrin.

In 1999, Betty celebrates 30 years of working at the Rovers Return with a party attended by all the regulars. She considers retiring in 2002 and briefly moves to Wimbledon to be with Gordon and his wife Caroline. Feeling that Caroline does not want her there, Betty considers moving into a retirement home, however is convinced to stay in Weatherfield by her close friend Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire). Around the time of Betty's fortieth anniversary at the Rovers Return, she is sacked by new manager Poppy Morales (Sophiya Haque) after clashing with her on several occasions. Landlord Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) eventually tires of Poppy's poor treatment of the staff and fires her, re-instating Betty.

Barmaid of The Rovers Return

Betty is the longest-serving barmaid of the soap's public house, The Rovers Return.^[3] She first served behind the bar in 1969 and has been shown to work there for 40 years, as of 2009. There have been brief breaks however, as storylines have led to the character being fired or quitting her post. She was fired by Annie Walker (Doris Speed), who accused her of theft, and she quit her post in 1995 when Jack (Bill Tarmey) and Vera Duckworth (Liz Dawn) took over as landlords. In the summer of 2009, Betty was sacked again by temporary manager Poppy Morales. A Coronation Street insider reassured The Sun that Betty was not being written out of the show, however, stating: "She’ll be here for a long time to come — she’ll just be on the other side of the bar for a change".^[4] In 2009, at 90 years old, Betty will be named Manchester's Oldest Barmaid. A 91 year old rival will come forward, resulting in Betty fearing she has killed her, when she consumes a two month old hotpot.^[5]

Reception

ITV describe Betty as a "lynchpin" of the soap opera, stating that: "She’s as much a part of Coronation Street as the cobble stones."^[6] In 2007, Coronation Street bosses told The Sun newspaper that there were no plans to retire the character of Betty, despite actress Betty Driver being 87 at the time, the oldest cast member in the soap. The character was described as "highly valued", with executive producer Kieran Roberts saying, "She is still going strong and enjoying the role. Betty is one of the Street’s great traditional characters who seem to have been there forever. It’s always been our aim to keep a great mix of contemporary stories with older, more traditional characters. Comedy and tragedy combined with very clever writing has always been a trademark of the Street."^[7] Actor Rob James-Collier, who plays Liam Connor in the soap, has deemed Betty to be one of Coronation Street's two best characters, alongside Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey). He explained: "Betty Driver, who plays Betty can have no more than a couple of lines in a scene, but she’ll steal it off all the other actors with just a comedy reaction. It’s simple, and also fantastic."^[8]

Betty's hotpot

During her time on Coronation Street, the character has become synonymous with her signature dish at the Rovers Return Inn, Betty's hotpot. ITV have described the dish as "the stuff of legends",^[6] and in 1995, pie manufacturer Holland's Pies launched a real-life range of hotpots and pies based on the dish, called "Betty's Kitchen".^[9] The idea for the range originated with the firm's marketing director, Dilys Day, who explained: "I was brought up on hotpot and Coronation Street. So when I joined Holland's a year ago, it seemed right to put the two together with Betty's hotpot."^[9] Day added that: "We are all very excited about Betty's Kitchen products. Holland's is a strong northern brand, with mass market appeal and wholesome, honest values - the same can be said for The Street."^[10]

Betty with her famous hotpot, outside The Rovers Return Inn.

In his book Marketing Communication, Richard J. Varey used the product range as an example of a company capitalising on a form of product placement or "stealth advertising", writing that "Viewers don't realize that they are, in effect, watching an advertisement".^[11] Betty Driver said of the range's launch: "Betty Turpin's hotpots have become something of an institution at the Rover's and she's very proud of her reputation for good, wholesome food. I think it is a lovely idea that people will be able to buy them in supermarkets now."^[10] Driver discussed her astonishment at the general level of interest in her character's hotpots, disclosing: "I was on a cruise on the QE2 a few weeks ago, and everyone was asking me about it. Then one day, they served hot pot on the menu and everyone thought it was mine!"^[9]

In 2007, Liverpool Daily Post editor Larry Neild was selected to join Liverpool's 'Health is Wealth' commission, researching the effects of food deprivation on poor health, after writing a scathing column in which he suggested that the commission’s chairman, Sue Woodward, chief executive of ITV Granada, should set a good example in Coronation Street by banning Betty’s hotpot.^[12] In October of the same year, allegedly the world’s biggest Lancashire hotpot was created, based on Betty’s traditional hotpot recipe from Coronation Street. The hotpot was cooked in a specially crafted 12ft by 7ft tin, weighing 200 kilos.^[13] 2008 saw Betty's hotpot come under scrutiny in the soap, after Street resident Jerry Morton suffered a heart attack. Jerry's ex-wife Teresa Bryant blamed the fatty meat in Betty's hotpots for hardening his arteries, and local butcher Ashley Peacock suggested that ostrich meat may be an up and coming new alternative, much to Betty's outrage.^[14]

In other media

In 1998, a straight to video, Coronation Street spin-off film was released, featuring Betty. It was entitled The Women Of Coronation Street and featured clips of the show's most famous females. The video hailed the brief return of Coronation Street favourite Hilda Ogden, who had not been seen in the soap since 1987; Betty travelled to meet her at her new home. A spokesperson for Granada Television commented, "It shows what happens when Betty [Williams] goes up to visit Hilda Ogden at her home in Derbyshire. She used to do cleaning work for a doctor and when he died, he left her the house in gratitude. It'll be a souvenir fans want to keep."^[15]

References

External links

• Profile at ITV Coronation Street homepage
• Profile at What's on TV