Buzzin Soap Stars

Coronation Street

For almost fifty years Coronation Street has enthralled millions of avid fans with its tales of everyday life in a Northern town, but throughout that time many stories have emerged from the actors and producers claiming that the set is haunted.

Perhaps the most famous of those stories is Coronation Street producer Tony Warren’s claim that he saw the actress Pat Phoenix who played Elsie Tanner, after she died of lung cancer in 1986.

Warren said of the paranormal experience, “I would smell this great gale of perfume and one of my dogs, who would always go bananas when Pat came to the house, suddenly started to behave as if she was there again. It was really very odd, but I was not afraid. Pat is welcome at my place anytime, dead or alive.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly Pat Phoenix was seen again, at a party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show in 1990. This time it was Lynne Perry (Ivy Tilsley) who made the claim.

Like others on the Street cast Perry had an interest in Spiritualism and when her character in the soap made an attempt to contact her murdered son Brian, Perry had an overwhelming experience when Doris Speed appeared on stage.

“At that moment I felt very strongly that she was sitting there with me and the cast. Only Julie Goodyear and I knew that Pat was there in spirit, enjoying it too.”

Long serving Corrie star William Roache has had his share of bad luck both on and off the set and has a life long interest in all things psychic and paranormal.

The sudden tragic death of his baby daughter Edwina in 1985 made him reassess his life and he began a spiritual search. He now believes that there is an afterlife.

When interviewed in 1993 by Dr Anthony Clare on Radio 4’s ‘In the Psychiatrist’s Chair’ he said “The manner of death is frightening, but death itself is not- because I know it’s not the end”

Roache said how he awakened on the day 18 month old Edwina’s funeral to see her face “glowing and smiling” in front of him “I got a sense of peace, freedom and release- and I knew all was well.”

“I couldn’t have got through the funeral without that. I carried her coffin. It still hurts, but I know she came down and went back and that there’s an existence beyond. Knowing about reincarnation helped.”

It is no longer frowned upon to visit a medium or have a tarot reading in the UK, in fact Spiritualism in general is more widely accepted in our society than ever before.

There are so many questions that remain unanswered about the afterlife and all things paranormal, but if it brings comfort to those that seek it, then so be it.