'Coronation Street': Betty Williams's secret revealed
Published Apr 2 2012, 14:20 BST | By Daniel Kilkelly
Warning: This article contains spoilers that some readers may prefer to avoid. Please click here if you wish to continue.
Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has revealed the details of Betty Williams's big secret.The ITV1 soap gives Betty an emotional send-off later this month after her son Gordon returns to Weatherfield and announces that she has passed away.
© ITV/Rex Features
© ITV
In real life, Betty Driver - who played the role of Betty for 42 years - died in October 2011 at the age of 91 following a period of ill health.
As announced earlier this year, Betty's tribute episodes will include the revelation of a long-held secret kept by the popular character.
Collinson confirmed the full storyline on This Morning today (April 2), explaining: "What they discover as they're clearing out her house is that Annie Walker, who was the landlady of the Rovers Return for the first 20 years of the show, actually bequeathed The Rovers to Betty in her will.
"Betty carried this secret and never took up this bequest. So she's left behind a bit of a bombshell, really! Certainly for Stella in terms of who owns the pub now and what happens going forward.
"But more brilliantly I think, she'll always be the longest-serving landlady of the Rovers Return by right, which I think is such a brilliant tribute to her."
Collinson promised that Betty's farewell is "brilliant and moving", adding that it was "incredible" to see Bill Kenwright reprise the role of Gordon.
He explained: "Bill had become very close to Betty since being her on-screen son - he talked about her as being another mother. He came back to say goodbye to her, and it feels so personal and raw. It was for everybody, actually, as she was a very much-loved member of the team."
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays on ITV1.
> Coronation Street stars pay tribute to Betty Driver
> Coronation Street's Betty Driver 1920-2011: Obituary
> Coronation Street boss promises "brilliant" Betty send-off
> Coronation Street: More Betty send-off details revealed
> Read more Coronation Street spoilers and news
Photo gallery - Betty Driver's life in pictures.
Copyright: ITV/Rex Features
Betty Driver makes her stage debut at the Manchester Hippodrome
That makes about as much sense as the location of the Rovers toilets or the size of the pub outside compared to the size of the pub inside.
April 25th 2012 at 5:09pm
Ivor Owen Jones I meant I don't care the technicalities of the storyline, such as Annie not owning the pub. Just let it be.
April 18th 2012 at 11:29am
You obviously care lol
April 16th 2012 at 7:17pm
tina langevin Good theories. And there's been people on here accusing the archivists of forgetting certain events/characters, but that is not the case at all. Past events/characters are only referred to when relevant.
April 16th 2012 at 1:32pm
do you remember once a long time ago Betty took Annie Walker to court for slander? Maybe she lost the pub to Betty who then sold it to Newton and Ridley and anothr theory I have is Annie Walker who was very strong and snooty and such,maybe she was very sick and under the impression that she owned the Rovers and gave it to Betty but she didn't take it out of respcet for Mrs Walker? and one more I have is when she married Billy Williams she chose not to take it cause it would interfer with their pensions? just a few I like to chew on lol anyway it will be interesting to see it come out
April 15th 2012 at 10:50am