Remembering Betty Driver Coronation Street’s Betty Williams
ATV Today celebrates the life of Betty Driver, who died earlier today aged 91, in a picture special with tributes from her fellow Coronation Street cast.
ATV Today celebrates the life of Betty Driver, who died earlier today aged 91, in a picture special with tributes from her fellow Coronation Street cast. Betty played Betty Williams/Turpin for 42 years and is a legend of soap opera for her pub grub, the iconic Rovers Return hot pot. She formed a comedy partnership with Julie Goodyear who played barmaid and later boss of the Rovers, Bet Gilroy/Lynch.
Julie today described Betty as the foundations of the famous television pub, adding “It was an honour and a privilege to work with Betty Driver for 25 years… …We laughed together, we cried together and never once had a cross word. She was a totally professional actress. A true icon and legend and a very dear friend.”
Barbara Knox, who plays newsagent Rita Sullivan, said of her co-star: “I have lost a very dear friend and the Street has lost a very great character, a professional to her fingertips – she will be greatly missed.”
Jennie McAlphine who is the feisty Fiz Stape stated, “Betty. What a lady. What a life. Wonderful to have known her,”
Vicky Entwistle who played loudmouth Janice Battersby: “I send you a tender kiss and huge cuddle Miss Driver! Amazing talented Lady with an enormous heart. Enjoy your catch up with Freda [Betty’s real-life sister] and Maggie [who played Blanche].”
Current Rovers Return boss Steve McDonald, actor Simon Gregson, said of his barmaid and off-screen pal, “I have known Betty since I was 15 years old, we always had a very good relationship. I was fortunate to be one of her friends and I am going to miss her.”
William Roache, Weatherfield’s legendary Ken Barlow, says, “I loved Betty dearly, she was not only a colleague, she was a friend and godmother to my son James. She will be missed in the Street but she will be missed moreso as a warm and loving person.”
Katherine Kelly who played a more recent barmaid and Rovers boss, Becky McDonald, gave a poetic tribute, “Our Betty – the true and constant Queen of The Rovers. The most famous street in the Kingdom will never be the same now you are gone, but those sparkling eyes and cheeky laugh will live with me forever.”
Helen Worth, troubled Gail Platt in the saga says, “Our dearest Betty was loved by all she met, and will be sadly missed by all the cast and everyone working on the ‘Street’. The legacy she leaves is of laughter and love. The Rovers will not be the same without our adorable Betty.”
Transsexual Hayley Cropper is played by actress Julie Hesmondhalgh who said, “Just adding mine to the chorus of voices saying farewell to our Betty. They don’t make ’em like you anymore. Feel so lucky to have known you.”
Kym Marsh, another who has played a barmaid in the Rovers as Michelle Connor, adds, “Such a sad day. Betty we will miss you so much, a legend and an amazing lady. Loved so much by so many people. God bless.”
Antony Cotton who stars as the ‘gay Bet Lynch’ Sean Tully shared his thoughts, “Today is a very sad day. I am devastated. We’ve lost our Betty. She was one of the funniest people I’ve ever met and definitely the kindest. I will miss her so much. Her star shone bright and long. Sweet dreams, Duck.”
Coronation Street’s former writer and former archivist for the series Daran Little said, “Remembering happy times with Betty Driver. I’ll never forget them. A sad day for variety, big band and TV.”
And current scriptwriter Johnathan Harvey adds, “Amazing woman, will be missed by so many.”
Current Executive Producer of Corrie, Kieran Roberts said, “Betty was a wonderful actress and remarkable woman. It is humbling to think that the 42 years she spent on Coronation Street was just half of her extraordinary career, but Coronation Street certainly benefited when she decided to join our show in 1969.
“For more than four decades she delighted many millions of Coronation Street fans with her fantastic performance in countless great stories both dramatic and comic. Betty was always a delight to work with and whilst there is a great sadness at her passing away, Betty will be remembered by everyone on Coronation Street with tremendous admiration and affection.”
And Jean Alexander, the pub cleaner Hilda Ogden, told the BBC “She was marvellous to work with. Professional to the fingertips. Absolutely. She knew every word, she never fluffed a line, she never let anybody down, she was absolutely brilliant.
“”Every time I had scenes with Betty we had a load of fun and the giggles, and you don’t get that all the time when you’re working in this business.”
Betty had originally auditioned for the role of Hilda Ogden in Corrie in 1964 after a career on radio, television and the stage spanning 36 years.
She first tread the boards at the tender age of 8 – forced by her mother to perform with a theatre company and by the age of 10 was singing with the BBC.
She went on to have a varied career including working in the West End and the world famous Ealing Studios before becoming a big band singer and entertaining the troops during the second world war.
Roles in various television shows followed but once she got the role in Coronation Street Betty quickly became a favourite behind the bar of the Rovers Return – Betty’s hotpot is an iconic dish but was never eaten by Betty herself as she didn’t eat meat!
