Coronation Street in its place. "Coronation Street" returned to ITV screens with a regular scheduled time closer to the end of 1979. "Coronation Street" had little competition within its prime time slot, and certain critics suggested that the programme had grown complacent, moving away from socially viable storylines and again presenting a dated view of working class life. Between 1980 and 1989, "Coronation Street" underwent some of the biggest changes since its launch. By May 1984, William Roache (Ken Barlow) stood as the only original cast member, after the departures of Violet Carson (Ena Sharples) in 1980, Doris Speed (Annie Walker) in
Betty Williams (Coronation Street) and when he died, he left her the house in gratitude. It'll be a souvenir fans want to keep." Betty Williams (Coronation Street) Betty Williams (also Preston and Turpin) is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera, "Coronation Street", portrayed by former music hall star Betty Driver. Driver was cast as Betty in 1969, after first auditioning for the role of Hilda Ogden, which was given to Jean Alexander. The character arrived in "Coronation Street" to help her sister Maggie Cooke run the corner shop, and has since had a number of storylines which have seen her become twice