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Ivy Joan Tilsley (originally credited as Ivy Tyldesley, also Nelson and later Brennan) is a fictional character from the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
soap opera ''
Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Origi ...
''. Played by
Lynne Perrie Lynne Perrie (born Jean Dudley; 7 April 1931 – 24 March 2006) was an English actress, singer and television personality, best known as Mrs Casper in Ken Loach's 1969 film '' Kes'', Mrs Petty in the television series '' Queenie's Castle'', and ...
, Ivy first appeared on-screen on 14 June 1971, initially on a recurring basis, before becoming a regular in 1979. As the character continued development, Ivy's stringent religious beliefs would become a synonymous part of her storylines on the show. Before becoming a regular character, much of Ivy's backstory is inconsistent; in her early appearances her husband was referred to as "Arthur", "Wilf" (with the surname "Tyldesley") and "
Jack Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, ...
" (Bert Gaunt), who went on to appear in the show in 1975, after Ivy had stated she and Jack were childless. By the time she became a street resident and a more regular character, her husband was named "
Bert Bert or BERT may refer to: Persons, characters, or animals known as Bert *Bert (name), commonly an abbreviated forename and sometimes a surname *Bert, a character in the poem "Bert the Wombat" by The Wiggles; from their 1992 album Here Comes a Son ...
" (
Peter Dudley Peter Dudley (21 June 1935 – 20 October 1983) was an English character actor best known for his role as Bert Tilsley in the ITV television series ''Coronation Street''; a role he played continuously from 1979 until his death in 198 ...
) and they had an adult son,
Brian Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word meani ...
(
Christopher Quinten Christopher Quinten (born Christopher Bell; 12 July 1957) is a British actor, best known for his role as Brian Tilsley on '' Coronation Street'', which he played from 1978 to 1989. Career Quinten started his career as a dancer in West End prod ...
). Ivy is the grandmother of
Nick Tilsley Nick Tilsley (also Platt) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. He was born off screen during an episode broadcast on 31 December 1980, but made his first appearance on 5 January 1981. He was played by ...
(Warren Jackson) and
Sarah Platt Sarah-Louise Barlow (also Platt, Tilsley and Grimshaw) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She was born on-screen during the episode broadcast on 2 February 1987. She was played by Leah King in 1987 an ...
(Lynsay and Leah King). Storylines have included her quarrel with Brian's wife
Gail Gail may refer to: People *Gail (given name), list of notable people with the given name Surname * Jean-Baptiste Gail (1755–1829), French Hellenist scholar * Max Gail (born 1943), American actor * Sophie Gail (1775–1819), French singer and ...
(
Helen Worth Helen Worth (born Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth; 7 January 1951) is an English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Gail Platt in the ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', a role that she has played since 1974. In 2014, she rec ...
), losing her husband and son; and forming a relationship with fellow resident Don Brennan (
Geoffrey Hinsliff Geoffrey Hinsliff (born 1937 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English actor best known for his portrayal of Don Brennan in '' Coronation Street'' from 1987 to 1997. He had previously played other characters in the same programme, in 1 ...
).


Storylines

Ivy is introduced as a worker at the Mark Brittain warehouse. She and another worker
Edna Gee '' Coronation Street'' is a British soap opera, initially produced by Granada Television. Created by writer Tony Warren, ''Coronation Street'' first broadcast on ITV on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of characters introduced in the sh ...
(Mavis Rogerson) started spreading rumours that
Elsie Tanner Elsie Gregory (also Grimshaw, Howard and Tanner) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Pat Phoenix from the series' inception in 1960 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1984. Elsie Tanner was ...
's (
Pat Phoenix Patricia Phoenix Booth (born Patricia Frederica Manfield; 26 November 1923 – 17 September 1986) was an English actress who became one of the first sex symbols of British television through her role as Elsie Tanner, an original cast member ...
) husband
Alan Howard Alan Howard may refer to: * Alan Howard (actor) (1937–2015), English actor * Alan Howard (cricketer) (1909–1993), English cricketer * Alan Howard (engineer) (1905–1966), American engineer * Alan Howard (hedge fund manager) (born 1963), hedge f ...
(
Alan Browning Alan Brown (23 March 1926 – 7 September 1979), known professionally as Alan Browning, was an English actor. He is best remembered for portraying Alan Howard in the television series ''Coronation Street'', a role he played from 1969 to 1973. H ...
) was having an affair. In 1975, the warehouse burned down and Edna died. Ivy soon began working for Mike Baldwin ( Johnny Briggs) at Baldwin's Casuals, and was later elevated to supervisor. A staunch
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, Ivy vocally opposed Brian's relationship with
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
, Gail Potter (
Helen Worth Helen Worth (born Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth; 7 January 1951) is an English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Gail Platt in the ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', a role that she has played since 1974. In 2014, she rec ...
), looking down on her and Gail's single unmarried mother, Audrey Potter (
Sue Nicholls Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls (born 23 November 1943) is an English actress, known for her roles on British television in ''Crossroads'' (1964–1968), ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' (1976–1979) and, ''Rentaghost'' (1981–1984), a ...
). Nevertheless, Brian and Gail married in 1979 in a Catholic ceremony; their son
Nicky Nicky is a diminutive form of the name Nicholas, Nicola and Nicole, occasionally used as a given name in its own right. It can also be used as a diminutive of Dominic. It may refer to: People Sports * Nicky Adams (born 1986), English-born Welsh ...
was born the following year. Ivy soon began interfering in Brian and Gail's marriage, setting her in frequent conflict with both Gail and Audrey over the years; she strongly disapproved of Gail's decision to return to work and leave Nicky with a childminder. Ivy suffers her first personal tragedy in 1984 when her husband
Bert Bert or BERT may refer to: Persons, characters, or animals known as Bert *Bert (name), commonly an abbreviated forename and sometimes a surname *Bert, a character in the poem "Bert the Wombat" by The Wiggles; from their 1992 album Here Comes a Son ...
(
Peter Dudley Peter Dudley (21 June 1935 – 20 October 1983) was an English character actor best known for his role as Bert Tilsley in the ITV television series ''Coronation Street''; a role he played continuously from 1979 until his death in 198 ...
) dies of a heart attack in a psychiatric hospital following a nervous breakdown. Ivy is further upset in 1986 when she learns that Gail has been having an affair with Brian's cousin
Ian Latimer Coronation Street (also informally referred to as Corrie) is a long-running British soap opera, noted for its depiction of a down-to-earth working-class community. In September 2010, it became the longest-running television soap opera in the wo ...
(Michael Loney); it is also discovered that Gail is pregnant and there are doubts as to whether Ian or Brian is the father. When the baby, Sarah-Louise, is born in February 1987, a paternity test proves Brian is the father. Despite this, Ivy never truly accepted Sarah as her granddaughter, and most of her affections went to her grandson Nicky. After a short-lived romance with factory warehouseman George Wardle (Ron Davies), whom she dumped when she learned he was divorced, Ivy met widower Don Brennan (
Geoffrey Hinsliff Geoffrey Hinsliff (born 1937 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English actor best known for his portrayal of Don Brennan in '' Coronation Street'' from 1987 to 1997. He had previously played other characters in the same programme, in 1 ...
) one night when he drove her home in his taxi. The couple eventually began a relationship and married in 1988. Ivy's biggest tragedy occurs in 1989 when Brian is stabbed to death outside a nightclub; she never fully recovers from his loss. She is later horrified to learn of Gail's relationship with
Martin Platt Martin Platt is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Sean Wilson. His major storylines were a relationship with Gail Tilsley (Helen Worth) following the death of her husband Brian (Christoph ...
( Sean Wilson), who is 11 years her junior. In 1990, when Gail discovers she is pregnant and plans to have an abortion, Martin persuades her not to. Upon announcing the pregnancy to the family, Ivy is mortified, insisting that Gail and Martin get married so that the child doesn't have the Tilsley name. The couple's son,
David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
(Thomas Ormson), is born on Christmas Day 1990; Gail and Martin eventually marry in September 1991. With Martin hoping to formally adopt Nicky and Sarah (as well as observing Nicky referring to Martin as his father), Ivy felt the memories of Brian and Bert were being pushed out of her grandchildren's lives, and attempted to smear Martin and Gail's reputations to the social worker overseeing the adoptions, but to no avail. Though Martin and Gail are comfortable as atheists, Ivy becomes obsessed with ensuring Nicky is raised within the Catholic faith he was christened into, believing it was what Brian would have wanted. Ivy further upsets the Platts by manipulating Nicky's passion for football, making him a member of the local Catholic church's football team, thus causing Martin to walk Nicky off the pitch. Ivy again causes friction with the Platts when Sarah repeats her threat if she and Nicky change their surnames from Tilsley to Platt, they won't inherit a penny from her will. At the intervention Don and her best friend
Vera Duckworth Vera Duckworth (also Burton) is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Liz Dawn. Vera is known for her long-standing marriage ...
(
Liz Dawn Sylvia Ann Ibbetson (''née'' Butterfield; 8 November 1939 – 25 September 2017), known professionally as Elizabeth Dawn or Liz Dawn, was an English actress, best known for her role as Vera Duckworth in the long-running British soap opera ''C ...
), Ivy bitterly accepts Martin as Nicky and Sarah's adoptive father for the sake of maintaining contact with her grandchildren. In 1990, Ivy attends spiritual meetings and believes she is a psychic, claiming to have received a message from
Ernest Bishop ''Coronation Street'' is a British soap opera first broadcast on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 1967, by order of first appearance. Steve Tanner Stephen Edward "Steve" Tanner, played by Paul Maxwe ...
(
Stephen Hancock Philip Stephen Hancock (24 November 1925 – 1 November 2015) was a British television and stage actor, musical director and pianist. He was born in Bishop Auckland, County Durham and attended the Chorister School, Durham and the Darlingt ...
) which she delivers to his unwilling widow Emily (
Eileen Derbyshire Eileen Derbyshire, MBE (born 6 October 1931) is an English retired actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She played the character for 55 years from January 1961 to January 2016 ...
) who is extremely upset by Ivy's behaviour. She causes further upset by claiming to have been contacted by
Bet Gilroy Bet Lynch (also Gilroy) is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Julie Goodyear, the character first appeared on screen dur ...
's (
Julie Goodyear Julie Goodyear MBE (''née'' Kemp; born 29 March 1942) is an English actress. She is known for portraying Bet Lynch in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She first appeared as Bet for nine episodes in 1966, before becoming ...
) deceased son, Martin Downes (Louis Selwyn), causing yet another conflict for Don to fish Ivy out of. She gives Gail a scare by telling her that Martin was involved in a car crash with a woman named Elizabeth. In 1992, Ivy's fixation with meddling in the Platts' lives begins to take its toll on her marriage to Don, who becomes increasingly sympathetic and supportive of the Platts, which puts him in constant conflict with his wife. When Vera attempts to constructively criticise Ivy, this only leads to various arguments and fallouts. Don seeks solace through an affair with barmaid Julie Dewhurst (
Su Elliot Su Elliott (born 18 December 1950) is a British actress. She was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. Her film roles include Alice in ''The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1984), a nurse in '' The Girl in a Swing'' (1988), Ma ...
), revealing it to Ivy before he leaves her, saying she has transformed for the worst from the woman he initially married. Heartbroken Ivy seeks solace through alcoholism, leading to many embarrassing incidents, including Nicky witnessing her arguing with nanny
Carmel Finnan The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' in 1992, by order of first appearance. Lisa Duckworth Lisa Horton (née Duckworth) was played by Caroline Milmoe. Lisa is introduced as ...
(
Catherine Cusack Catherine Cusack (born 21 December 1968) is a British actress. She is best known for portraying Nanny Carmel Finnan in the long-running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' in 1992 and 1993. Early life and career Cusack was born on 21 Decemb ...
). She later has a meltdown in the Rovers, saying she has nothing left to live for, before eventually finding inner peace after some of words of wisdom from her local priest. Ivy reconciles with Don in 1993 after his suicide attempt which results in him having his leg amputated. However, it is later revealed he is the secret telephone stalker of
Denise Osbourne The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' in 1992, by order of first appearance. Lisa Duckworth Lisa Horton (née Duckworth) was played by Caroline Milmoe. Lisa is introduced as t ...
(
Denise Black Denise Black (born 16 March 1958) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles in ''Coronation Street'' and ''Emmerdale'' and guest starring as ''Jessie Devlin'' Denny Blood's mother in ''ITV drama series '' Bad Girls''. Early life ...
). In 1994, after accepting that the marriage is beyond repair, Ivy decides to go on a Catholic long-term retreat in a convent, where she dies in her sleep from a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
in August 1995. Her interference in the Platts' lives would continue beyond the grave; as she had always wanted her grandson Nicky to retain the surname Tilsley, Ivy stipulated in her will that Nicky would inherit her house (No.5) – but only if he changed his surname from Platt back to Tilsley, much to Gail and Martin's annoyance (Sarah escaped this condition as Ivy said that she would probably change her name in the future). Sarah and Don were left with nothing. Don is almost evicted as he and the Platts fight over Ivy's legacy; this eventually ends with Don buying No.5 from Nicky for £12,000. With Martin and Gail's blessing, Nicky changes his surname back to Tilsley. In years having learn a lot from Ivy, Gail decide to protect her children for those whoever gets involved with them. Because of her feud with her, Gail begins her feud with Eileen over the years. In 2004 after her grandson death, Gail mentions to Todd, who recently broke up with Sarah after confessed that he was gay, how Ivy changed her life, despite their arguments and disagreements.


Creation


Casting and characterisation

Perrie joined ''Coronation Street'' in 1971 as a semi-regular character before joining full time in 1979. The character of Ivy was described as a woman who had "a sharp tongue and staunch Roman Catholic beliefs". Ivy's Catholicism was something that developed as the character became more established. At Christmas 1976, Ivy stated she wasn't bothered about Christmas or religious holidays in general and didn't observe them.


Departure

In February 1994, without consulting her bosses, Perrie had cosmetic surgery to make her lips look fuller, but the results were unflattering, and Perrie was sacked from the show after twenty-three years as Ivy. The press speculated that her departure was a direct result of her plastic surgery, though Perrie denied this, insisting that she felt that her character had simply run its course. This version of events matched accounts given by the show's then producer Carolyn Reynolds. Ivy Tilsley died off-screen the following year. Perrie stated in a 1994 interview on 'The Word' she was unhappy that they didn't kill her character off and that she would only return to the show on the condition that it would centre around her death as she wanted closure.


Reception

Ivy was included in ''
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
s feature on "bizarre" soap exits following off-screen scandals. Adam Beresford branded the character "the fearsome 'Poison Ivy'", and said it was "slightly incongruous" when she suddenly appeared with fuller lips. He continued, "Ivy's exit is unfortunate and possibly one of the reasons why the character doesn't get her due in the realm of Corrie icons. She was no pushover and was a believable battleaxe without being a caricature. Her power struggles with daughter-in-law Gail were legendary, and it was also fascinating to see a character whose religion dominated her life to such a degree."


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tilsley, Ivy Coronation Street characters Female characters in television Television characters introduced in 1971 Fictional machinists Fictional factory workers