50 years of Corrie set to take to the stage

THE entire 50-year history of Coronation Street is to be packed into a new two-hour stage show.

Coronation Street Abridged Live! will cover more than 7,000 episodes and 2,000 storylines, including 115 deaths, 37 births and 86 marriages.

Weatherfield favourites including Ena Sharples, Hilda Ogden, Bet Lynch and Curly Watts will feature in the production, along with Corrie villains Richard Hillman, Alan Bradley and Tracy Barlow.

The play, penned by Coronation Street scriptwriter Jonathan Harvey, will tour the UK ahead of the soap's golden anniversary in December.

The cast will not include any current or past actors from the programme, and the stage play is unrelated to the Coronation Street musical project, which is still under discussion.

The soap's executive producer, Kieran Roberts, who will oversee the stage show, said: "The very heart of British television has been beating with the pulse of Coronation Street for 50 years. That's a lot of memories, a lot of drama, a lot of poignancy and a lot of laughter.

"I'm thrilled at the prospect of bringing to life on stage all the great stories and characters of 50 years of Coronation Street, and I'm sure the play will be a real treat for Corrie fans, as well as a great night out in the theatre".

Promoter Phil McIntyre, who is co-producing the show with ITV Studios, said: "I saw the first-ever episode of Corrie when I was eight, and it's been a part of my life since then, so what an honour it is to bring the whole 50 years back to life 'live' on stage in its home town of Salford."