After leaving Weatherfield, the former Coronation Street cast, which included Phill Lowrie, has had heartbreaking fates, from tragic losses to unexpected career shifts.
On Friday, the sad news of Philip Lowrie’s death was shared by his publicist, the actor best known for his portrayal of Dennis Tanner in Coronation Street. Lowrie passed away at the age of 89, leaving a lasting legacy in British television.
In 1960, Philip made his first appearance in Coronation Street as Dennis Tanner. He gained notoriety and quick wit and became one of the household names in the wwent years.
Many fans of the show recall Dennis fondly as one of Coronation Street’s most enduring early characters, with many still remembering his passing. One angry fan wrote on social media: “So sad to learn about Philip Lowrie’s passing. He played Dennis Tanner in Coronation Street. Nearly 65 years ago, he made his first appearance on the show’s first episode.
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His Coronation Street career was not without its own merits. His character became deeply woven with the series’ early narrative as it first aired in 1960 and continued to do so until 1968.
In 2011, Philip triumphantly returned to Coronation Street, much to the delight of devoted fans, after leaving the show in the late 1960s. His return, which lasted for more than 40 years, was applauded by viewers as evidence that he had maintained a strong connection to the show throughout his life.
A true moment of nostalgia came with his on-screen mother, Elsie Tanner (played by the legendary actress Pat Phoenix), and he made a comeback in 2011. His memory persisted even after Coronation Street cut him out of the show in 2020.
Coronation Street has been a fixture on television for more than 60 years, bringing in a large cast of fans who have left a lasting impression.
Some actors have had great success in their new roles, while others have had heartbreaking tragedies or personal difficulties. What transpired between some of the well-known actors after they bid their final farewell to Weatherfield?
Jack Duckworth – Bill Tarmey
After 30 years of playing Jack Duckworth on the television series, Bill Tarmey passed away due to health issues and the tragic discovery of his son’s brain tumor. Fans cried in his final scene, in which Jack passed away in the same chair as his wife Vera. His beloved character continues to carry out Tarmey’s legacy.
Vera Duckworth – Liz Dawn
Due to her lung condition, Liz Dawn, who played Jack’s wife Vera, quit Coronation Street in 2008. She had emphysema and died in 2017. One of the most famous relationships in the history of the show was forged onscreen with Jack Duckworth, who was remembered as a kind and generous woman.
Raquel Watts, Sarah Lancashire
Sarah was only permitted to stay on the soap for three months when she joined in 1991, but she was later brought back and spent the next five years.
In tear-jerking scenes, which 20 million people watched in 1996 while 22 million watched their wedding, Raquel left her husband, Curly Watts. She later appeared on a number of television programs, most notably Happy Valley, where she portrayed Sgt. Catherine Cawood.
Curly Watts – Kevin Kennedy
For 20 years, Kevin Kennedy played the legendary Curly Watts. He left the soap in 2003 and founded an addiction recovery charity to assist others who have been affected by addictive and mental health conditions. After battling alcohol addiction for 22 years, Kevin created this organization.
Todd Grimshaw – Bruno Langley
The disgraced actor, who graced the Coronation Street set for 17 years, was given the boot from the iconic ITV show after he sexually harassed two women, grabbing them by their private parts during a drunken spree in Manchester.
In a court appearance at Manchester Magistrates’ Court in December 2017, Langley admitted to having alcohol problems and that some situations prevented him from recalling events after a night of heavy drinking.
Despite receiving a 12-month “high-level” community order, being subject to electronic tags, being required to re-enter as a sex offender for five years, and being ordered to pay each of his assault victims £250 in compensation.
He wept in the dock and later issued an unreserved apology to the women he groped on a night out in The Sunday Mirror.
Ken Barlow and William Roache
Ken Barlow hasn’t left the show since its debut episode, making it the longest he’s ever lived on. William Roache, an 18-year-old with a fresh start who has participated in some sour love affairs over the years, first stepped foot into Wetherfield as an 18-year-old.
When he was 91 years old, he was awarded an OBE by King Charles III for his services to acting. In fact, he holds the world record for the longest-serving TV actor in a continuous role.
The actor and his wife, Linus and Vanya, have two children together and were born in 1961 when they wed Anna Cropper away from their jobs.
In the late 1970s, William and Sara married and had two children, Verity James and Edwina, both of whom tragically passed away at the age of 18 months.
David Barlow as Alan Rothwell
Alan portrayed the youngest son of Frank (Frank Pemberton) and Ida Barlow (Noel Dyson), making sporadic appearances on the soap during his tenure. He remained a fixture on the cobbles until 1968 when he departed to start afresh in Australia with his wife Irma Ogden (Sandra Gough). His character met an off-screen demise when viewers were informed of his death in a car crash in 1970.
Since then, the 88-year-old has had an illustrious career, even featuring in rival soap Emmerdale. Alan took on three distinct roles in Emmerdale: a judge in 1993, a foster father in 1998, and an elderly gentleman in 2015. Most recently, the actor graced the short film Gods Guilty Conscience, the director’s cut in 2021 and made several appearances on BBC’s Doctors.
Linda Cheveski as Linda Cunningham, portrayed by Anne Margaret Cunningham
Anne portrayed Elsie Tanner’s strong-willed daughter on the cobbles, renouncing her mother’s direct manner. She briefly left Weatherfield in 1961 to immigrate to Canada, but she soon came back to the UK.
Her turbulent relationship with her husband, which ended in 1984, led to Linda’s sporadic, occasional guest appearances on the soap. The now-88-year-old continued her acting career after quitting the soap, appearing in Henry Otter, The Nineteenth Hole, and King of Bollywood. She and Darrol Blake, a playwright, have three children together. According to legend, the couple lives in London.
Read about the fates of other Coronation Street actors here.
Source: Mirror
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