Coronation Street heads to Blackpool for 10,000th episode

On Friday 7th February the residents head for Blackpool as news reaches Rita of Dennis Tanner's passing and one resident decides it's time to leave the cobbles.

When a parcel arrives containing the ashes of her estranged husband Dennis Tanner, Rita is shocked and confides in Ken after reading the request to scatter the ashes in Blackpool - and he agrees to go with her.

Deciding a day trip is something everyone would enjoy, Jenny books a coach and and Rita, clutching Dennis’s urn, Amy, Audrey, Carla, Eileen, Emma, Evelyn, Gail, Jenny, Ken, Mary, Nina, Sean, Tracy, Sally and Yasmeen set off for Blackpool.

The day out is a comedy of errors from the start with the coach turning out to be a blacked-out party bus driven by grumpy driver Des, played by renowned comedy actor John Henshaw.

Memories are shared, secrets aired and tensions rise as it starts to look as though they won’t make it to Blackpool before nightfall, if at all.

By the end of the trip lives will have changed and one resident realises the time has come to leave the cobbles for pastures new!

On celebrating being the world’s longest running serial drama, Producer Iain MacLeod said “10,000 episodes! Not bad for a programme which one newspaper said in 1960 was ‘doomed from the outset.’ I am first and foremost a massive fan of the show and I watched this landmark episode with absolute glee."

"It is uniquely Corrie: funny, poignant and characterful - and a glorious homage to the comedic charabanc trips of times past, packed with strong female characters and sparkling dialogue. It’s a really great exhibition of Coronation Street’s classic qualities as we start a new decade on the cobbles.”

Coronation Street will air its 10,000th episode on Friday 7th February at 7.30pm