Cosy crimes and gritty sagas by Corrie Blog editor Glenda, published by Headline. Click pic below!

Tuesday 20 January 2015

Why I'll always love Deirdre Barlow

From @CorrrieArt on twitter (www.corrie-art.co.uk)
There will never be another Deirdre Barlow.  Deirdre was your normal, average, everywoman type of character. Or, as normal and everyday as the world of soap will allow. Life had a way of flinging itself at her and she took it all, stoically. When life got her down, she had a fag in the ginnel, a little cry and then pulled herself together to carry on with another day.

When you think of Deirdre, you don't think of the catchphrase lines of dialogue that some of the other big Corrie characters were given.  Her catchphrase was her sigh, her resigned-to-life sigh, her 'Oh Ken" and "Oh Tracy, luv", her husband and daughter two of the most important people in her life.

Deirdre's life revolved around her family and home. She was stuck with Ken, and she knew it. She had a murderess for a daughter but still loved her.  She knew she would one day end up like her mother, and her scenes with Blanche were some of the best Coronation Street have had. Deirdre made the most of what life flung at her, and took happiness where she could - with Mike, with Dev, with Samir. But ultimately, and always, with Ken.

Some of us reading this might have grown up with Deirdre. I know she's always been a part of my life.  It's so terribly, awfully, sad that the actress who has played her has passed away. We have lost one of not just Coronation Street's greatest actors, but one of the UK's finest. She will never be forgotten.

And now, I'm going to go into the ginnel for a little cry and a fag.  And then I'll pull myself together and carry on.

Anne Kirkbride: Obituary 

Audio tributes

Blogger Llifon's tribute

Blogger Clinkers' Sadness on the Street

Blogger Emma's Tribute to Deirdre Barlow

Corrie writer Damon Rochefort's radio tribute to Anne Kirkbride

ITV to repeat Deirdre and Me: A Tribute

William Roache's emotional tribute to Anne Kirkbride at NTAs, and EastEnders dedicate their win to The Weatherfield One. Watch both here.

Anne Kirkbride to be honoured at the National TV Awards 2015
 
Official ITV press release

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8 comments:

AmandaB said...

Lovely.

Dolly Tubb said...

Beautifully put. Love the little sketch too, sums it all up.

Llifon said...

Beautiful. A lump in my throat.

Stevie said...

Lovely. I think that ginnel's going to be very busy this week...

Anonymous said...

It's hard to put into words what a wonderfully full Weatherfield life did for Deirdre. All those bust ups, the marriages - and Ken - the stalwart by her side through thick or thin, the wayward daughter keeping her on her toes... how cruel it is for a life to be so cut short!
I guess as writers find a way to say goodbye to Deirdre, it's going to have to be news broken by Ken. This is not going to be an easy time to get through, writing behind a fog of tear filled eyes and a cast so heartbroken right now, let alone her family.
That's why we love Corrie... it handles everything with the sort of compassion you don't get anywhere else. There's more humanity on the street than anything else, it depicts us as a whole - not as a minority, not as a one. At times like this, it's where we all become that whole - support, tissues, mugs of tea and a fag at the back door. Deirdre was US.
You can never get that back. Thank you Anne Kirkbride for being Deirdre.

Anonymous said...

I love the drawing of the glasses. Well done.
I was so surprised at this, didn't even know she was ill, just 'on leave'. Such a shock.
I was so looking forward to seeing her back on the screen stuffing marrows and flinging trifles!
C in Canada.

Anonymous said...

Aw,I hope they keep those stuffed marrow jokes coming. Love the art work too.

Anonymous said...

I mean no disrespect as I hope when the writers do say goodbye to Deidre, that she is given the respect she deserves thatwas not given to Betty Driver in my opinion with the ridiculous 'Betty owns the Rovers' storyline and sans funeral.I would prefer an episode in which residents simply say goodbye to Deirdre.

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!

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