There was horror on the Coronation Street cobbles as Audrey Roberts became trapped under a motorbike after her drinking spiralled out of control. Audrey, played by Sue Nicholls, has been staying with daughter Gail and her family after having cataract surgery.
It has become increasingly clear that Audrey has a drink problem after she has been reaching for the bottle at all opportunities and refusing to listen to the concerns of her nearest and dearest. Audrey has been known to enjoy a tipple or two in the Rovers but the hair stylist hit rock bottom in Wednesday night's episode (June 22).
Rita Tanner found her friend enjoying her first drink of the day in the Rovers Return and, pointing out that she owns the barber shop Trim Up North where her grandson David works, she suggested it was time Audrey went back to work. David despaired as in the salon his gran cracked open the wine and flirted with Ryan Connor who was in for a cut.
READ MORE:
David asserted it was time Audrey went home, but as she headed for her coat, she went sprawling across the floor. After a drunken Audrey fired David and fellow stylist Kelly Neelan she was found playing table football with Ryan by salon manager Maria Connor.
As Maria insisted she go home Audrey refused and fired her too. At her wit’s end daughter Gail tried to talk some sense into Audrey, but when she raised the subject of her drinking again, Audrey hit the roof and announced she was moving back home with immediate effect.
The family gathered to discuss defiant Audrey's drinking and decided something needs to be done about it, with granddaughter Sarah saying she would ask recovering alcoholic Peter Barlow for his help. Meanwhile at the barbers, Audrey staggeed into the ornamental motorbike which fell and trapped her underneath as she cried out for help.
"It is me or is this family at rock bottom?" asked David. @Dan240993 tweeted: "Audrey is out of control.." @penniless_poet wrote: "Audrey: 'Are you calling me an alcoholic David?' - Audrey love - we're all calling you an alcoholic! #Corrie. And@1Jennyb said: "Please tell me #Corrie aren't going to make Audrey an alcoholic."
Back in 2018 Corrie legend Sue, who has played Audrey since 1979, said she turned down a storyline pitched to her by the soap bosses that would see her much-loved character develop a drink problem brought on by loneliness - and Sue was not happy with the idea.
She disagreed that this would happened and protested that she didn't want to play a "drunk, forlorn little thing." She told us at the time: "There was something pitched to me, oh ages and years ago, that maybe an Audrey storyline could be that she was at home and she was going home drinking a lot and Gail would come and say 'oh mother are you lonely?' She added: "I tried to pitch it back to them and say I didn't really want to play that drunk forlorn little thing."
On Friday Audrey lies motionless in the barber’s having been there all night. A passing Brian Packham and Elaine Jones hear a weak cry coming from inside.
As Brian hurries off to fetch help, Audrey's son Stephen Reid emerges from a taxi and breaking down the door he's shocked to find his mum barely conscious.
Meanwhile the Platts have called a family meeting to discuss Audrey’s drink problem with Peter. As they debate Peter’s advice, Brian dashes in with the news that an ambulance is outside for Audrey, who’s in a bad way.
Stephen’s furious with the family for failing to notice that Audrey was missing all night. As he leaves for the hospital in the ambulance with Audrey, Gail’s sick with guilt and worry.
READ NEXT:
