Sunday 8 March 2009

1981 - Real-Life Crimpers Say: "Give Aud's Back Room Salon The Snip!"

Good old Audrey Potter was always dipping in and out of daughter Gail Tilsley's life in the early-to-mid 1980s. Here's the Daily Mirror reporting on the start of one of her visits, September 23, 1981:

Sue Nicholls, who returns to CORONATION STREET (ITV 7.30) as Audrey Potter, reckons she's the only unmarried gran on TV at the moment.

She said: "I'm unmarried in the script and unmarried in real life. Not that I'm complaining either way. And I'm glad I'm in for a good chunk of the action in The Street for the next few weeks."

Tonight Audrey leaves her boy friend and moves in with daughter Gail Tilsley and family, with no sign of her stay being a short one.

"Sleeping on someone's couch wouldn't bother me," said Sue. "My sister once rented a room big enough for one with a bed that folded into the wall. I stayed with her for months without any problems."

Within a few weeks, our Aud was attracting unwelcome attention. From the Sun, 11/11/1981:

Coronation Street's Audrey Potter should hang up her hairdressing scissors, real-life crimpers said yesterday.

Audrey's back street "shop" in the series is exactly the kind of salon the Hairdressing Federation has been trying to close for years.

Blackburn Chamber of Trade in Lancashire have backed the crimpers' cause and asked Granada TV to tell Audrey - played by actress Sue Nicholls - to shut up shop.

Chamber of Trade Secretary, Albert Green, said: "The back street salons don't pay tax, rates, and are often a serious health risk."

Happy Aud in 1985 - facing the prospect of marriage to Corner Shop keeper Alf Roberts - and security at last!

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