Coronation Street place at university, and thus found his working-class background—as well as his parents, Frank and Ida (Frank Pemberton and Noel Dyson)—something of an embarrassment. The character was one of the few to have experienced life outside of Coronation Street. In some ways this predicts the growth of globalisation, and the decline of similar communities. In an episode from 1961, Barlow declares: "You can't go on just thinking about your own street these days. We're living with people on the other side of the world. There's more to worry about than Elsie Tanner and her boyfriends." Roache is the only remaining
Betty Williams (Coronation Street) other actors with just a comedy reaction. It’s simple, and also fantastic." Driver was awarded a lifetime achievement award at "The British Soap Awards" in May 2010, to honour her role as Betty who had, at that time, featured in "Coronation Street" for 41 years. Due to illness, Driver was unable to collect the award in person, but she recorded a video message thanking everyone at ITV. During her time on "Coronation Street", the character has become synonymous with her signature dish at the Rovers Return Inn, Betty's hotpot. ITV have described the dish as "the stuff of legends", and