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
Bob Mason (actor) Vain" and "Working Class Hero" in 1982 and 1983 respectively. Between 1981 and 1989 he penned scripts for Coronation Street - quite notably making him the only (regular) member of the cast to write for the programme. He died on 21 September 2004 of cancer in Cambridge aged 53. He was survived by wife Janet and two daughters. Bob Mason (actor) Bob Mason (29 July 1951 – 21 September 2004) was a British actor and writer, born in Rochdale, Lancashire. Throughout 1976 he played Terry Bradshaw in "Coronation Street" and later as Sergeant Eddie Slater in "The Lakes" in 1997.