Coronation Street impromptu ceremony, shortly before going into cardiac arrest, although he later rallied and made a slow recovery. The episode of "EastEnders" broadcast on the same day as "Coronation Street" 50th anniversary episode included a tribute, with the character Dot Branning saying that she never missed "Coronation Street". In May 2011, Dennis Tanner returned after 43 years off screen. Beverley Callard and Vicky Entwistle who play Liz McDonald and Janice Battersby, respectively, quit the street. On 15 October 2011, Betty Driver, who had played Betty Williams since 1969, died of pneumonia, aged 91. In 2011, the major storyline of John Stape
Pat Phelan (Coronation Street) which revealed Phelan to have survived his fall, reached a peak audience of 8,500,000. Phelan’s final episodes also achieved high ratings, with the 1st June episode in which he was killed receiving an average audience of 8,660,000 on 28 day data. Phelan has been rated one of the best soap villains of all time and in the programme itself, alongside the likes of Richard Hillman (Brian Capron) and Tony Gordon (Gray O'Brien). Pat Phelan (Coronation Street) Pat Phelan is a fictional character from the British soap opera "Coronation Street", portrayed by Connor McIntyre. The character first appeared on-screen during the