Did she?
Did Ken once Date Rita in Corrie?
Yes, there is a history there.
The Rita who returned in January 1972 was a totally different character from the exotic dancer from 1964. It was only because Barbara Mullaney played both parts that they became one and the same later on. Mrs Bates, as she was then known, had a husband and two children, and was set up as a bit of a harridan before we met her. At that time, Ken was Bessie Street School's deputy head, and taught her son Terry Bates. Ken had taken Terry under his wing, and believed that his schoolwork was being affected by him having to look after his younger sister while his mother worked (the horror!). Ken visited Rita to see what he was up against, and they ended up hitting it off. They kept in contact, at first by letters, and later by meeting socially, with the pretext of discussing Terry (Rita was portrayed as a bit of an unfit mother). It didn't lead anywhere though, as Rita took up with Len a few weeks later.
They arranged another date in September 1973, when Rita was fully established. Both Ken and Rita had recently suffered heartbreaks and it was very much a rebound thing, but Ken stood Rita up when Albert Tatlock guilt tripped him into visiting Peter and Susan in Glasgow instead of chasing women.
The Rita who returned in January 1972 was a totally different character from the exotic dancer from 1964. It was only because Barbara Mullaney played both parts that they became one and the same later on. Mrs Bates, as she was then known, had a husband and two children, and was set up as a bit of a harridan before we met her. At that time, Ken was Bessie Street School's deputy head, and taught her son Terry Bates. Ken had taken Terry under his wing, and believed that his schoolwork was being affected by him having to look after his younger sister while his mother worked (the horror!). Ken visited Rita to see what he was up against, and they ended up hitting it off. They kept in contact, at first by letters, and later by meeting socially, with the pretext of discussing Terry (Rita was portrayed as a bit of an unfit mother). It didn't lead anywhere though, as Rita took up with Len a few weeks later.
They arranged another date in September 1973, when Rita was fully established. Both Ken and Rita had recently suffered heartbreaks and it was very much a rebound thing, but Ken stood Rita up when Albert Tatlock guilt tripped him into visiting Peter and Susan in Glasgow instead of chasing women.
Originally Posted by David the Wavid:
“Yes, there is a history there.
The Rita who returned in January 1972 was a totally different character from the exotic dancer from 1964. It was only because Barbara Mullaney played both parts that they became one and the same later on. Mrs Bates, as she was then known, had a husband and two children, and was set up as a bit of a harridan before we met her. At that time, Ken was Bessie Street School's deputy head, and taught her son Terry Bates. Ken had taken Terry under his wing, and believed that his schoolwork was being affected by him having to look after his younger sister while his mother worked (the horror!). Ken visited Rita to see what he was up against, and they ended up hitting it off. They kept in contact, at first by letters, and later by meeting socially, with the pretext of discussing Terry (Rita was portrayed as a bit of an unfit mother). It didn't lead anywhere though, as Rita took up with Len a few weeks later.
They arranged another date in September 1973, when Rita was fully established. Both ken and Rita had recently suffered heartbreaks and it was very much a rebound thing, but Ken stood Rita up when Albert Tatlock guilt tripped him into visiting Peter and Susan in Glasgow instead of chasing women.”
“Yes, there is a history there.
The Rita who returned in January 1972 was a totally different character from the exotic dancer from 1964. It was only because Barbara Mullaney played both parts that they became one and the same later on. Mrs Bates, as she was then known, had a husband and two children, and was set up as a bit of a harridan before we met her. At that time, Ken was Bessie Street School's deputy head, and taught her son Terry Bates. Ken had taken Terry under his wing, and believed that his schoolwork was being affected by him having to look after his younger sister while his mother worked (the horror!). Ken visited Rita to see what he was up against, and they ended up hitting it off. They kept in contact, at first by letters, and later by meeting socially, with the pretext of discussing Terry (Rita was portrayed as a bit of an unfit mother). It didn't lead anywhere though, as Rita took up with Len a few weeks later.
They arranged another date in September 1973, when Rita was fully established. Both ken and Rita had recently suffered heartbreaks and it was very much a rebound thing, but Ken stood Rita up when Albert Tatlock guilt tripped him into visiting Peter and Susan in Glasgow instead of chasing women.”
So what happened to Terry Bates then?
it turned out rita wasn't married to mr. bates and wasn't the kids mother. it was at this time she had her fling with ken and later went on to marry len fairclough.
they kept some of the back story though cos she was a cabaret singer
Last edited by rob_bangor : 30-08-2015 at 09:58
they kept some of the back story though cos she was a cabaret singer
Last edited by rob_bangor : 30-08-2015 at 09:58
Originally Posted by pollysue1939:
“So what happened to Terry Bates then?”
“So what happened to Terry Bates then?”
We found out that Rita was after Len to use his influence as a councillor to get the Bates rehoused, as their home was scheduled for demolition. Len refused to help them when Rita admitted she wasn't Harry Bates's real wife nor the children's mother. A month later, she left Harry and returned to singing as Rita Littlewood and her old history was brushed aside.
Terry made two return appearances, once in 1973 when he was taken into care and ran away from his foster home to ask Rita to take him, and again in 1977 not long after she married Len. Rita let him stay as he wasn't getting along with Harry Bates's new girlfriend but Len refused to have him in the house and threw him out.
Originally Posted by David the Wavid:
“Yes, there is a history there.
The Rita who returned in January 1972 was a totally different character from the exotic dancer from 1964. It was only because Barbara Mullaney played both parts that they became one and the same later on. Mrs Bates, as she was then known, had a husband and two children, and was set up as a bit of a harridan before we met her. At that time, Ken was Bessie Street School's deputy head, and taught her son Terry Bates. Ken had taken Terry under his wing, and believed that his schoolwork was being affected by him having to look after his younger sister while his mother worked (the horror!). Ken visited Rita to see what he was up against, and they ended up hitting it off. They kept in contact, at first by letters, and later by meeting socially, with the pretext of discussing Terry (Rita was portrayed as a bit of an unfit mother). It didn't lead anywhere though, as Rita took up with Len a few weeks later.
They arranged another date in September 1973, when Rita was fully established. Both Ken and Rita had recently suffered heartbreaks and it was very much a rebound thing, but Ken stood Rita up when Albert Tatlock guilt tripped him into visiting Peter and Susan in Glasgow instead of chasing women.”
“Yes, there is a history there.
The Rita who returned in January 1972 was a totally different character from the exotic dancer from 1964. It was only because Barbara Mullaney played both parts that they became one and the same later on. Mrs Bates, as she was then known, had a husband and two children, and was set up as a bit of a harridan before we met her. At that time, Ken was Bessie Street School's deputy head, and taught her son Terry Bates. Ken had taken Terry under his wing, and believed that his schoolwork was being affected by him having to look after his younger sister while his mother worked (the horror!). Ken visited Rita to see what he was up against, and they ended up hitting it off. They kept in contact, at first by letters, and later by meeting socially, with the pretext of discussing Terry (Rita was portrayed as a bit of an unfit mother). It didn't lead anywhere though, as Rita took up with Len a few weeks later.
They arranged another date in September 1973, when Rita was fully established. Both Ken and Rita had recently suffered heartbreaks and it was very much a rebound thing, but Ken stood Rita up when Albert Tatlock guilt tripped him into visiting Peter and Susan in Glasgow instead of chasing women.”
Originally Posted by David the Wavid:
“We found out that Rita was after Len to use his influence as a councillor to get the Bates rehoused, as their home was scheduled for demolition. Len refused to help them when Rita admitted she wasn't Harry Bates's real wife nor the children's mother. A month later, she left Harry and returned to singing as Rita Littlewood and her old history was brushed aside.
Terry made two return appearances, once in 1973 when he was taken into care and ran away from his foster home to ask Rita to take him, and again in 1977 not long after she married Len. Rita let him stay as he wasn't getting along with Harry Bates's new girlfriend but Len refused to have him in the house and threw him out.”
“We found out that Rita was after Len to use his influence as a councillor to get the Bates rehoused, as their home was scheduled for demolition. Len refused to help them when Rita admitted she wasn't Harry Bates's real wife nor the children's mother. A month later, she left Harry and returned to singing as Rita Littlewood and her old history was brushed aside.
Terry made two return appearances, once in 1973 when he was taken into care and ran away from his foster home to ask Rita to take him, and again in 1977 not long after she married Len. Rita let him stay as he wasn't getting along with Harry Bates's new girlfriend but Len refused to have him in the house and threw him out.”
Very interesting, I didn't know much about this. Thank you for the detailed explanation David.
Rita's backstory was a bit hazy back then.
I recall Ray and Jerry (?) weren't so keen on her when Len invited her to stay at their place.
I recall Ray and Jerry (?) weren't so keen on her when Len invited her to stay at their place.
I thought it was a bit cheeky of ITV to make that program last year celebrating Rita's '50 years on the street'. As David the Wavid has pointed out the character of Mrs Bates who first appeared in 1972 was originally written as a new character, it was only when Barbara Mullaney was cast and they realised she had briefly played a different character Rita Littlewood some 8 years earlier that they decided to marry them up and make them one and same person.
