Biggest Corrie plots in Blackpool as Strictly returns - tram crash to tragic final wish

Strictly Come Dancing returned to the iconic seaside resort Blackpool this weekend following a two-year absence.

The Covid restrictions meant the last two series have been forced to skip the annual episode in the iconic Tower Ballroom which has been a tradition since 2010.

And while Blackpool has a long-standing relationship with the BBC show, it also has strong affiliations with long-running ITV soap Coronation Street.

The beloved soap has filmed special episodes in the seaside town since 1961 and was once home to an attraction all about Corrie.

As the Strictly stars returned to the Blackpool ballroom, Daily Star has looked at all the times the ITV soap has filmed in the town.

Corrie could be axed in next ten years thanks to Netflix, says ITV icon Jim McDonald

Corrie's Aadi unrecognisable as fans blown away by facial hair transformation

The first time Corrie visited Blackpool was in 1961 for the annual Whit Monday picnic, after which Harry Hewitt (Ivan Beavis) memorably proposed to Rovers barmaid Concepta Riley (Doreen Keogh) on the coach journey home.

Following Blackpool episodes in 1971 and 1980, long-running character Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) headed to the seaside resort with pals Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) and Mavis Riley (Thelma Barlow) in 1985.

The trio stayed at the Blackpool Hotel and met barman Frank Mills who became so smitten with Bet that he followed her back to Weatherfield.

Four years later, Rita suffered a breakdown and disappeared after her ex-partner Alan Bradley (Mark Eden) was released from prison.

During his three years on the Cobbles, Alan portrayed a temperamental streak due to his psychopathic nature and emotionally tormented Rita, leading residents to believe Alan had murdered her once she went missing.

Rita eventually surfaced in Blackpool and upon discovering her location, Alan headed straight there to find her.

In what is arguably the most iconic episode ever filmed in Blackpool, Alan chased Rita when she attempted to escape from him and was dramatically hit and killed by a tram outside The Strand Hotel.

His death was one of Corrie's most watched storylines, having been viewed by just shy of 27 million people and remains one of the most memorable scenes in the soap's history.

Many Corrie couples took romantic breaks away to the seaside resort, with Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) asking Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) to marry him at the top of Blackpool Tower in 2000.

In 2002, illegal immigrant Goran Milanovic met Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) while he was working at the caravan park in Blackpool.

Despite not appearing to have genuine feelings for Toyah, the photography student asked her to marry him because he wanted to remain in the UK - a proposal she turned down.

Many of the Corrie residents fell in love with Blackpool and one of those was long-running character Vera Duckworth, played by Elizabeth Dawn who made her first appearance in 1974.

In 2008, Vera decided she wanted to move to the seaside resort with husband Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey) and they began viewing houses there.

The duo, who became one of the best-loved couples in television history, met a tragic end however after Vera died suddenly in her sleep from heart failure.

Despite having an offer accepted for a house in Blackpool, Jack couldn't move there without his beloved wife and remained in Weatherfield with the rest of his family.

A few years later, youngster Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) went missing and Blackpool became the location where people began searching.

Wanting to keep Simon away from his dad Peter Barlow (Christopher Gascoyne), his grandparents took him there as they didn't believe he was fit enough to look after his son.

While a police search began, Simon overheard his grandparents speaking about taking him away and eventually made his way back to Weatherfield by himself.

Blackpool had become a Corrie staple by 2013, but arguably the most emotional moment came that year when Roy Cropper (David Neilson) took his terminally-ill wife Hayley Cropper there.

Hayley, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, was suffering from pancreatic cancer and had one final wish to dance in the Tower Ballroom.

With the help of a fortune teller, Roy was able to fulfil his wife's last ambition before she died.

In January 2014, Hayley died in her husband's arms after drinking a lethal cocktail and Roy later visited Blackpool with the intention of scattering her ashes there, but was unable to let them go.

In 2016, Jenny Bradley (Sally Ann Matthews) was taken to Blackpool by Johnny Connor (Richard Hawley) so she could say goodbye to her father, Alan on the anniversary of his death.

As Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell), Sally Metcalfe (Sally Dynevor) and Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) were arguing amongst themselves in the Seashore Snack Bar on the North Pier, Kevin's son Jack ended up wandering off.

Jenny then spotted Jack running straight into the path of an oncoming train and chased him, successfully pushing him out of the way and avoiding any harm coming to him.

For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.

READ MORE: