Betty Williams

=Betty Williams (Coronation Street)=

Elizabeth "Betty" Williams (née Preston, previously Turpin), is a long-standing fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by former music hall starBetty Driver. Driver was cast as Betty in 1969, after first auditioning for the role of Hilda Ogden. The character 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 producers have stated at various stages that there are no plans to retire the character from the show, despite her longevity and Driver's advancing age. {| class="toc" id="toc" style="font-size: 12px; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249); "

Contents
[hide] *1 Creation
 * 2 Development
 * 2.1 Backstory
 * 2.2 Storylines
 * 2.3 Personality
 * 2.4 Barmaid of The Rovers Return
 * 3 Reception
 * 3.1 Betty's hotpot
 * 4 In other media
 * 5 References
 * 6 External links
 * }

[edit] Creation
Betty Driver, who had been performing since she was 8 years old, retired from acting in her late-forties to run 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; she eventually had to turn the role down as she was tied into an advertising contract with Procter & Gamble and they refused to release her.[2] The part of Hilda eventually went to Jean Alexander.[2] Driver has commented, "Harry Kershaw, producer ofCoronation 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. Commenting on her casting in 1999, Driver said, "[Kershaw] said, 'Betty, how would you like to pull pints for us on television?', and that was it. I suppose I expected I'd be there for perhaps a few months. But it just went on and on and, well, they've never managed to get rid of me."[3]

Following her first appearance in 1969, Driver has remained in the role of Betty continuously. She suggested in 1999 that if she gave up she would die "within a month from sheer boredom".[3] 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] She confirmed her intention to remain on the show in 2010, when the character celebrated her 90th birthday.[2] In May 2010, the News of the World reported that Driver had decided to retire, just prior to the actress's 90th birthday.[4] It transpired that this was untrue, however, and Driver was distressed by the rumour. She assured producer Phil Collinson of her intention to remain with the soap, and was told that Betty was very much a part of plans for the series' upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.[5]

[edit] Backstory
Betty was born on 4 February 1920 to Harold and Margaret Preston. During World War II, she had an affair with serviceman Ted Farrell, resulting in a son, Gordon (Bill Kenwright; Geoffrey Leesley). Ted left her to return to his family and Gordon was adopted by Betty's sisterMaggie (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).[6]

[edit] Storylines
Betty Turpin in 1969.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.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em; ">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, leaving her only £859.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-storylines_6-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[7] The same year the truth about her illegitimate son is revealed, and when the community discovers this, Betty finds it difficult to face them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-storylines_6-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[7] She busies herself by taking in lodgers, and acquiring a ginger cat named Marmaduke for extra companionship. Betty builds a relationship with Gordon, though he upsets her occasionally, particularly when he neglects to invite her to his wedding.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em; ">Betty is mugged in 1982 by Ryan Attwood from Ken Barlow's youth club; she ends up in hospital with a broken arm. This leads to a reunion with Ted, the man who fathered Gordon, though he is unaware of this. Ted visits Betty in hospital after reading about her mugging in a newspaper. Betty agonises over whether to tell Ted about Gordon, but decides against it, preferring not to stir up the past.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em; ">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 inWeatherfield 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. <p style="line-height: 1.5em; ">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).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Little_5-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[6] 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.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-JB_7-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[8] Landlord Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) eventually tires of Poppy's poor treatment of the staff and fires her.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[9] Betty is re-instated, and plays the fairy godmother in the 2009 Rovers Return Christmas pantomimeperformance of Cinderella.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[10] In early February 2010, Betty has a party in the Rovers celebrating both her 90th birthday and the fact that she is the oldest barmaid in Weatherfield; however it backfires when 91 year old Enid Crump (June Broughton) crashes the party and claims she is the oldest barmaid not Betty. Later Enid becomes sick after Steve serves her a 3-month old hotpot. Betty and Steve are left terrified when they realise that the hotpot could kill her, but she later recovers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HPK_10-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[11]

[edit] Personality
<p style="line-height: 1.5em; ">In his 1998 book The Women of Coronation Street, Daran Little describes Betty as an archetypal mother figure. He compares her to one ofCoronation Street ' s original characters Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant), 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 characterisation, 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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Little_5-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[6]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em; ">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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Little_5-4" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[6] 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".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Little_5-5" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[6] 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.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Little_5-6" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[6]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em; ">In 2010, Driver discussed her character, saying, "Coronation Street characters tend to fit into one of two camps. Those who have drama after drama and those who muddle through life, often in the background, as sturdy and dependable as the famous cobbles. Betty falls into the latter group. There have been moments of drama, intrigue and even romance – but it has been her presence behind the bar, cutting up pieces of lamb and chunks of potato, that has endeared her to the viewers."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Procter_1-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[2] When asked about Betty's "sharp tongue", Driver suggested, "Not really sharp. [Betty's] just straightforward. [She's] not nasty to anybody but [she doesn't] suffer fools gladly."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Procter_1-4" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[2]

[edit] Barmaid of The Rovers Return
<p style="line-height: 1.5em; ">Betty is the longest-serving barmaid of the soap's public house, The Rovers Return.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[12] 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 temporarily by managerPoppy 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".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-JB_7-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[8] In a storyline that aired in February 2010, Betty – at 90 years old – was named Manchester's Oldest Barmaid. In a plot twist, a 91 year old rival came forward, resulting in Betty fearing she killed her, when the rival consumes a two month old hotpot.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HPK_10-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[11]