CORONATION Street writer Lucy Gannon told me recently how she was once banned from watching the soap.
I spoke to her at the launch of her latest drama The Children, starring Kevin Whately.
It’s just the latest of many projects from acclaimed writer Lucy, who joined the Corrie team last year.
So how, I wondered, did that come about?
“I’ve always been a fan of Coronation Street. I’ve watched it for 25 years,” she replied.
“But when my mum died and my father re-married, one of the family rules was, ’You’re not allowed to watch Coronation Street.’
“We moved down from Lancashire to Wiltshire and my dad felt that if we saw northern accents and people with tomato sauce on the table, we’d be homesick.

“So we were banned from watching Coronation Street.
“So I always felt that this was my real spiritual home and I must watch it.
“And, of course, as soon as I grew up, I did.
“So I am a huge Coronation Street fan.
“I had said to my agent for several years, ‘I would really like to write for Corrie.’
“And then last year I said, ‘This is the year I want to write for Corrie.’
He contacted them and they said yes.
“I love it. I like my own company so I find the meetings quite difficult but I love the writing.”
Lucy’s past credits include Bramwell, Peak Practice, Servants and Soldier Soldier.
She has worked with Lewis and Morse star Kevin before.
In Trip Trap he played a character who beat up his wife.
And in Plain Jane his character murdered his other half.
“I love Kevin because there’s an awful lot of actors around who will only do a part if it’s a heroic part and if the fans are going to be pleased and there is nothing in there that is in any way indicitive of a weak character,” she said.
“Kevin just says, ‘Give it to me, I’ll do it. Whatever it is, I’ll do it.’
“And I just love that in an actor.”
You can read more about Lucy and the second episode of ITV1’s The Children in Monday’s MEN.
Some five million viewers watched this week’s opening hour.
If you were one of them, let me know what you think about Lucy’s latest drama via the comments box below.
Coronation Street blogs
Corrieblog
Coronation Street: Flaming Nora