Viewers praise Coronation Street’s ‘dramatic’ 60th anniversary episode

Viewers have praised Coronation Street’s “dramatic” 60th anniversary episode.

Wednesday’s landmark show saw Geoff Metcalfe fall from a roof as he pursued Yasmeen Metcalfe.

Geoff, played by Ian Bartholomew, set fire to the house after giving Yasmeen the keys so she can collect her belongings.

Yasmeen, who is played by Shelley King, was found not guilty of the attempted murder of her abusive husband on Monday.

Wednesday’s episode ended with a show of Geoff lying on the floor following his fall.

Entertainer Paul Chuckle marked the anniversary by praising the soap.

He tweeted: “Happy 60th Coronation Street… loved every minute of it from 1960, here’s to the next 60 years.”

Other viewers also praised the episode.

One tweeted: “What a fantastic & dramatic 60th Birthday Coronation Street. Just WOW, congrats to all the actors and the whole team.

“Here’s to another 60 years.”

Another wrote: “What an episode that was of Corrie on their 60th birthday.”

Other viewers praised the soap for putting together the episode while coronavirus restrictions are in place.

“Pandemic.. what pandemic? Corrie did amazing tonight in very tough circumstances,” one viewer said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden wished the programme a happy birthday.

He tweeted: “So many fond memories from my childhood watching Bet Lynch, Hilda Ogden, Mavis Wilton, The Duckworths and all the iconic characters of the 80s!”

Coronation Street debuted on ITV on December 9 1960, the creation of Salford-born writer Tony Warren.

Since then, the soap has aired more than 10,000 episodes and has seen 57 births, 146 deaths and 132 weddings.

In September 2010, Coronation Street was recognised as the world’s longest-running soap and was listed in the Guinness World Records.