Fans still remember the day Ken Barlow’s first love, Valerie, met her shocking end. But the real drama wasn’t just on screen; it was behind the scenes too. A Coronation Street legend has now shared what it was really like to be part of the UK’s most iconic soap back in the day. It wasn’t all friendly chats over the garden wall.
Back When Valerie Was Ken’s World
Anne Reid played Valerie from 1961 to 1971. Long before Deirdre or any of Ken’s later relationships, Valerie was at the center of it all. She was there during those early, more traditional Corrie days, living a quiet life in Weatherfield until things took a deadly turn. Viewers still recall that awful moment when Valerie was electrocuted by a faulty hairdryer.
It was a huge shock at the time. Ken was supposed to go to Jamaica, and Valerie’s sudden death left him heartbroken and questioning everything. While fans were caught up in the tragedy, Anne Reid had already decided to move on. At the time, most people thought it was just another big storyline. But now we know her choice to leave had much more behind it.
“I Was So Frustrated”, Says Former Coronation Street Actor
Speaking recently to The Guardian, Anne Reid explained what pushed her to quit. She said, “I have to go, I’m going mad.” She had simply had enough. When they asked if she had just gotten bored, she didn’t hold back. “Oh yeah! I was so frustrated,” she admitted. Then came the part that really stood out: “I didn’t get a laugh in nine years.”
Nine years of serious scenes, no light moments, nothing to lift the mood. That kind of routine wears you down. Even though she became a household name, she craved something more fulfilling. So, while Valerie’s death played out as a major Corrie moment, it was also Anne’s way of finally stepping away from a role that had stopped bringing her joy.
Big Change, Bold Role
Now, decades later, Anne Reid is back in the spotlight, this time in something completely different. She’s part of Riot Women, a brand-new BBC series created by Sally Wainwright, who she worked with on Last Tango in Halifax. This new show focuses on five middle-aged women who decide to start a punk rock band.
Anne is joined by some notable names too, Lorraine Ashbourne from Bridgerton, Joanna Scanlan from The Thick of It, Amelia Bullmore from The Buccaneers, Tamsin Greig from Friday Night Dinner, and Rosalie Craig from Moonflower Murders. The series will stream on BBC and iPlayer later this year. It’s exciting to see her dive into something fresh and bold after all those years of playing it straight.
Anne’s time on Coronation Street surely gave her a big break, but it came with its own challenges. Playing Valerie might have made her a Corrie legend, but it’s only now that we’re understanding how tough that time really was for her. Stay with Soap Opera Daily for all the throwbacks, cast news, and behind-the-scenes stories from your favorite soaps.
