Coronation Street Live (2000 episode)
The episode is notable for an appearance by Charles, Prince of Wales who visited the show's Manchester-based studios earlier in the day and met cast members.Footage of him meeting actress Sue Nicholls was incorporated into the storyline following prior agreement with the Prince's staff; this is the only part of the episode which was pre-recorded.Curly, who is speaking on the phone in The Kabin, is overheard by Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden), who misinterprets the conversation and believes that Vera has died.Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) brags to Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) about her upcoming lunch date with Prince Charles, who is visiting Weatherfield to open a new planning office at the Town Hall.At The Rovers Return Inn, Natalie Barnes (Denise Welch) tells Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard) that she will be spending the day with the brewery, who are going to show her around other pubs.Natalie, Geena and Liz watch the ITV Evening News on which Sir Trevor McDonald reads an item about Prince Charles' visit to Manchester.She is distressed that Roy does not see her as a woman, and when he clarifies that he does not think of her in the same way as other women, before going off to join the demonstrators, Hayley writes him a letter, packs her bags and leaves their flat.With the cars moved, the police give the tarmackers the go-ahead to start work, but Stan arrives just in time to deliver the fake preservation order.The show's producer, Jane Macnaught, said: "It will mean a lot of hard work for the cast and production team involved, but I know it will be an enjoyable and exhilarating experience."[1] At this point few details were available of any potential storyline, but a spokeswoman said that the episode would see one of the characters have a serious health condition, while a couple would be faced with a personal dilemma.[1] Other events to mark the anniversary would include a documentary about the life of actor Bill Roache, who had played the role of Ken Barlow since the soap's inception, and a tribute programme called Forty Years of Coronation Street.Footage of their meeting was later incorporated into the live episode, which showed a news report of Nicholls' character Audrey Roberts being presented to the Prince at the opening of a new planning office at Weatherfield Town Hall.The live episode itself was preceded by a montage featuring the Coronation Street cast members over which was played the popular song "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You"."[10] However, on 29 August, actor Keith Duffy said that Coronation Street would air a live episode to celebrate its 50th anniversary,[11] something which was confirmed on 1 September by ITV.