John "Jack" Duckworth is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
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, ...
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
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
Bill Tarmey
Bill Tarmey (born William Piddington; 4 April 1941 – 9 November 2012) was an English actor and singer, best known for playing Jack Duckworth in the soap opera '' Coronation Street''. First appearing in the role in November 1979, he played ...
. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 28 November 1979. Jack was introduced by executive producer
Bill Podmore
Edgar William Podmore (15 August 1931 – 22 January 1994) was a British television producer. Born in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, he is best remembered for his long association with the soap opera ''Coronation Street'', a series he produced for ...
. Tarmey had previously appeared as a background character in many episodes featuring scenes in the Rovers Return, including some occasional speaking lines.
More than twenty years after first appearing, Tarmey eventually cut down filming due to problems with his health and often contemplated leaving the series. In April 2010, it was announced that Tarmey would leave the series for good later that year. His last appearance was broadcast on 8 November 2010, with ITV also airing a tribute documentary for him. Having been in the show for 31 years, he was one of the longest-serving characters.
Jack's storylines have focused on his long-standing marriage to his wife
Vera (
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 ...
) which has been complex and at times been described as "rocky". Other storylines include coping with his wayward son
Terry
Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine).
People
Male
* Terry Albrit ...
(
Nigel Pivaro
Nigel Pivaro (born 11 December 1959) is an English actor and journalist. He is best known for playing Terry Duckworth, the son of Jack and Vera Duckworth in ''Coronation Street''.
Career
Pivaro was born in Manchester, England to an Italian ...
) and his hobby for
pigeon keeping
Pigeon keeping or pigeon fancying is the art and science of breeding domestic pigeons. People have practiced pigeon keeping for at least 5,000 years and in almost every part of the world. In that time, humans have substantially altered the morph ...
. In his final storyline, he was portrayed as having incurable
non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), also known as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a group of blood cancers that includes all types of lymphomas except Hodgkin lymphomas. Symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, weight loss, and tiredness. ...
. Jack has been characterised through his "joyless and gloomy" life in which he has a string of dead-end jobs and his wife's death, but continued to pass witty remarks on life. Television critics have described Jack as a loveable rogue type character and have favoured his relationship with Vera. His exit storyline was fairly documented in the media, receiving positive reactions and many state he is fondly remembered for his love of pigeons.
Storylines
Backstory
Whilst Jack is working a fairground ride, the
waltzer, he meets
Vera Burton (
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 ...
), and they soon begin a relationship. When Vera announces that she is pregnant with his baby, Jack agrees to marry her. Even after discovering this is a false alarm, Jack still takes her hand in marriage. During a trip to the United States, Jack confesses to being two years younger than Vera is aware, as he had lied at their wedding, making out that he was older than he really was in an attempt to impress a young Vera. Since they had not been legally married, they make their marriage official by tying the knot in the famous
Little White Wedding Chapel in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. A pregnant Vera gives birth to a son, whom they named
Terry
Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine).
People
Male
* Terry Albrit ...
(
Nigel Pivaro
Nigel Pivaro (born 11 December 1959) is an English actor and journalist. He is best known for playing Terry Duckworth, the son of Jack and Vera Duckworth in ''Coronation Street''.
Career
Pivaro was born in Manchester, England to an Italian ...
).
1979–2010
Jack makes his first appearance on 28 November 1979 when Vera forces him to attend the wedding of her friend and colleague
Ivy Tilsley
Ivy Joan Tilsley (originally credited as Ivy Tyldesley, also Nelson and later Brennan) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Played by Lynne Perrie, Ivy first appeared on-screen on 14 June 1971, initially on ...
's (
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 ...
) 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 me ...
(
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 ...
) to
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 ...
). He returns in 1981 and for almost two years, appears on a recurring basis. Jack and Vera move into the street in 1983, much to the dismay of many of Weatherfield's residents. Prior to Jack's 1979 debut, Bill Tarmey often appeared as an extra in
The Rovers Return Inn, playing darts. Jack later has an affair with
Bet Lynch (
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 ...
), which he later regrets. Jack enrols with a video dating agency in 1983, referring to himself as "Vince St. Clair" and obtains a white suit, gold medallion and phoney trans-Atlantic accent. Vera also takes part in this. She refers to herself as "Carole Munroe", and is shocked when she sees Jack's video. She arranges to meet him in The Rovers Return, wearing a ginger wig, claiming to be a rich widow. When she turns around, Jack is shocked to see his wife staring back at him and she chases him out of the pub much to the amusement of the other customers.
Vera is almost tempted into having an affair with Lestor Fontaine, but is soon to realise that she cannot leave Jack. In 2000, Vera worries that she may die in an operation, and confesses to Jack that she had an affair during the early years of their marriage, meaning there is a possibility that Terry is not really Jack's son. Jack confesses to his friend
Curly Watts
Norman Arthur "Curly" Watts is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', from 1983 to 2003, and in a few spin-off DVDs in 2010. He was portrayed throughout by Kevin Kennedy.
Most of Curly's storylines dealt ...
(
Kevin Kennedy) that unbeknownst to Vera, he had knowledge of the affair, and had beaten her lover up; though he claims that he believes Terry to be his own son as he reminds him too much of himself.
Terry causes trouble for Jack and Vera through his various relationships with women. He dates neighbour
Andrea Clayton (Caroline O'Neill) in 1985 and she becomes pregnant, sparking a feud between the Claytons and the Duckworths. At Ivy's engagement party to George Wardle in The Rovers, Jack asks Andrea's father
Harry Clayton (Johnny Leeze) if they are sure Terry is the father and Harry punches him. The Claytons later move away. In 1992, Terry is released from prison to marry his pregnant girlfriend
Lisa Horton
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 ...
(
Caroline Milmoe
Caroline Milmoe (born 11 January 1963) is an English stage, film and television actress best known for playing Julie in the first two series of Carla Lane's Liverpool-based BBC sit-com '' Bread'' and Lisa Duckworth in ITV's long-running soap ...
) and uses the ceremony to escape. Lisa moves to Weatherfield from her home town of Blackpool and begins a relationship with local bookie
Des Barnes
Des Barnes is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Philip Middlemiss.
Storylines
Des was deeply in love with Steph (Amelia Bullmore), but she did not seem to care as deeply for him, and eventual ...
(
Philip Middlemiss
Philip Middlemiss (born Philip Sean Lloyd; 19 June 1963) is an English television, radio actor and businessman, best known for playing bookmaker Des Barnes in ITV's '' Coronation Street'' between 1990 and 1998. The character was killed off, or ...
) and moves in with him, a decision which infuriates Vera. While Jack is more sympathetic towards Lisa, knowing Terry will never stand by his wife and child, he nonetheless feels he has to side with his wife. Lisa gives birth to a baby boy whom she names
Tommy
Tommy may refer to:
People
* Tommy (given name)
* Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film
* ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...
and five months later, Lisa is killed after being run over by a car, and Jack and Vera are delighted when Tommy comes to live with them. Jack and Vera find it hard to cope financially, but Terry takes Tommy off of them and sells him to Lisa's parents Jeff and Doreen Horton and he goes to live with them in Blackpool. Jack and Vera are devastated and a furious argument with Terry follows, resulting in Jack punching Terry and disowning him. Jack and Vera were blessed with another grandson, Brad, after Terry's fling with
Tricia Armstrong
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' in 1994, by order of first appearance.
Tricia Armstrong
Tricia Armstrong, played by Tracy Brabin for a period of three years between 1994 a ...
(
Tracy Brabin
Tracy Lynn Brabin (born 9 May 1961) is a British politician who has served as the first Mayor of West Yorkshire since the office was established on 10 May 2021. She previously was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Batley and Spen from 2016 to 20 ...
). Jack also develops a paternal relationship with Tricia's son from her first marriage,
Jamie
Jamie is a unisex name. It is a diminutive form of James or, more rarely, other names. It is also given as a name in its own right.
People Female
* Jamie Anne Allman (born 1977), American actress
* Jamie Babbit (born 1970), American film and te ...
(
Joseph Gilgun
Joseph William Gilgun (born 9 March 1984) is an English actor known for several roles, including that of Vinnie O'Neill in the Sky One series '' Brassic'', Marcus in Hollyoaks, Eli Dingle in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', Jamie Armstrong i ...
).
Jack and Vera later became surrogate parents for
Tyrone Dobbs
Tyrone Dobbs is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Alan Halsall, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on 30 November 1998 and is still a cast member over 20 year ...
(
Alan Halsall
Alan David Halsall (born 11 August 1982) is an English actor, best known for portraying the role of Tyrone Dobbs in ''Coronation Street'', a role he has played since 1998.
Early life
Halsall was brought up in Walkden, Salford and attended Walk ...
), whose mother had been imprisoned for assault. Jack considers Tyrone as more of a son than Terry had ever been. Jack is fond of pigeons though Vera hates them, and she once tricks him into believing that she has cooked him a
pigeon pie
Pigeon pie is a savoury game pie made of pigeon meat and various other ingredients traditional to French cuisine and present in other European cuisines. It has been eaten at least as early as 1670 in French cuisine.
Similar dishes to pigeon pie e ...
. Jack once agrees to sell his dead body for a large amount of cash to an artist (Maggie McCarthy) who enjoys painting stuffed humans, so he could buy Vera a Christmas present. When Vera discovers this, she argues with the woman, who then turns up, inspired by Vera. They agree to both pose nude for the artist, but on condition that they would be buried as normal. The Duckworths celebrate their Golden wedding anniversary with a party at The Rovers in August 2007. After the couple plan to relocate to
Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...
, Jack discovers Vera has died in her sleep in her armchair on 18 January 2008, devastating many of Weatherfield's residents. This prompts Jack to abandon the move to Blackpool and stay in Weatherfield, although he still offers No. 9 to Tyrone and his girlfriend
Molly Compton
Molly Dobbs (also Compton) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Vicky Binns, she debuted on 5 September 2005. Introduced as the daughter of a local baker, she is the love interest and l ...
(
Vicky Binns
Victoria Jane Binns (born 27 August 1982) is an English actress, known for her two roles in the two veteran ITV soap operas ''Emmerdale'' and '' Coronation Street'' respectively. She had a lead role in ''Von Trapped'' opposite Caroline Quentin ...
); though they insist that he remain as a lodger. Months later, Jack's grandson
Paul Clayton (
Tom Hudson), having returned to Weatherfield previously, confesses to the police to burning down Valandro's,
Leanne Battersby
Leanne Battersby (also Tilsley and Barlow) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', played by Jane Danson. It was announced in February 1997 that a "family from hell" would be introduced to ''Coronation ...
's (
Jane Danson
Jane Danson (born Jane Elizabeth Dawson, 8 November 1978) is an English actress. She is known for her portrayal of Leanne Battersby in the ITV soap opera, '' Coronation Street'', between 1997 and 2000, and from 2004 onwards. Her other television ...
) restaurant. He also confesses this to Jack who is disgusted with his grandson's behaviour and tells him that he is Terry's son. Despite his disgust, Jack offers Paul £10,000 that he has received from the house, on the condition that Paul faces prison. However, Paul cannot face it and decides to flee the country. This reassures Jack that Paul is different from Terry. When Molly's aunt
Pam Hobsworth
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' in 2008, by order of first appearance.
Tina McIntyre
Tina McIntyre, played by Michelle Keegan, made her first appearance on 7 January 2008, ...
(
Kate Anthony
Kate Anthony (born 11 April 1964) is an English actress best known for her role as Pam Hobsworth on the ITV (TV network), ITV soap ''Coronation Street''.
Career
She has appeared in ''Doctors (2000 TV series), Doctors'' playing Ellen Murray, ...
) later moves into No. 9, Jack decides to spend a few months in Blackpool. Upon his return, he describes at Tyrone and Molly's wedding in January 2009 that Tyrone is the son he and Vera had always wanted. Later that year, Jack meets
Connie Rathbone (
Rita May), a widow and fellow pigeon enthusiast. The two become good friends, although Tyrone feels that Jack's behaviour is disrespectful to the memory of Vera. Jack soon goes on holiday with Connie to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and lies to Tyrone and Molly that he is returning to Blackpool. When he comes back, Tyrone discovers the truth and is unhappy with Jack. Tyrone begins to soften towards Connie but is still shocked when Jack announces that he is moving in with Connie and he leaves Weatherfield on 21 September 2009.
Following him moving in with Connie, Jack's appearances on the show became intermittent. In November 2009, Jack and Connie join Tyrone in the Rovers for a drink. After Connie leaves, Jack tells Tyrone that he is worried that she wants more than companionship. Jack then hides out at Tyrone's until Connie catches up with him and reveals it is only a misunderstanding about her sleepwalking, much to Jack's relief. Jack and Connie join Tyrone,
Bill Webster
Bill Webster is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', played by Peter Armitage. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 6 February 1984 and remained in the show until 1985 when ...
(
Peter Armitage Peter Armitage may refer to:
* Peter Armitage (statistician) (born 1924), British statistician
* Peter Armitage (actor)
Peter James Armitage (23 October 1939 – 30 November 2018) was an English television and stage actor best known for his r ...
) and Pam on Christmas Day 2009. Jack is present once again in early-2010, when Molly and Tyrone are having marriage difficulties and is seen in the Rovers after the funeral of
Blanche Hunt
Blanche Hunt (also Linfield) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street''. She was originally played by Patricia Cutts; however, the actress died by suicide after appearing in just two episodes in August 1974. ...
(
Maggie Jones) in May 2010. Jack appears on 9 September 2010 to visit Molly, after she has just given birth, and is told her and Tyrone's son will be named Jack in honour of him. In October 2010, Jack moves back in with Tyrone and Molly and they suspect that he has fallen out with Connie. Jack initially tells Tyrone that he has simply missed living with them both. However, when Connie turns up at the house and cryptically demands why Jack hasn't told them the real reason for his stay, he is forced to reveal the truth. On 8 October 2010, Jack tells a Tyrone that he has an incurable form of
non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), also known as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a group of blood cancers that includes all types of lymphomas except Hodgkin lymphomas. Symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, weight loss, and tiredness. ...
and only has weeks to live, leaving Tyrone devastated. He returns to No. 9 to live out the remainder of his days, and makes Tyrone promise that they will make the most of his last few weeks. During his final weeks, Jack strives to perform acts of kindness for those around him. He sends
Sally Webster
Sally Metcalfe (also Seddon and Webster) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', portrayed by Sally Dynevor. The character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 27 January 1986, when Kev ...
(
Sally Dynevor
Sally Jane Dynevor (née Whittaker; born 30 May 1963) is a British actress, she is best known for her role as Sally Metcalfe in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', which she has played since 1986. In 2022, Dynevor competed in the fourt ...
) tickets for the opera after hearing her say that she always wanted to go. After seeing
Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop (also Nugent and Swain; originally credited as Miss Nugent) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Eileen Derbyshire, the character is the longest-standing female character in t ...
(
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 2 ...
) collecting money in the Rovers to repair the roof of the local church, he anonymously donates over £2,000 to the fund. When
Ashley Peacock (
Steven Arnold
Steven Arnold (born 12 December 1974) is an English actor best known for his role as butcher Ashley Peacock in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''.
Early life
He was educated at Sir Thomas Boteler in Warrington, where his drama teach ...
) confides in Jack about problems that he is having with his wife
Claire
Clair or Claire may refer to:
*Claire (given name), a list of people with the name Claire
* Clair (surname)
Places
Canada
* Clair, New Brunswick, a former village, now part of Haut-Madawaska
* Clair Parish, New Brunswick
* Pointe-Claire, Q ...
(
Julia Haworth
Julia Haworth is an English actress. She is known for playing the role of Claire Peacock in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from 2003 to 2011.
Early and personal life
Haworth was born in Burnley, Lancashire. She attended St Christophe ...
), he attempts to reconcile the couple by encouraging them to talk to one another. After baby Jack's christening on 5 November 2010, Jack is devastated when he overhears a conversation between Molly and
Kevin Webster
Kevin Webster is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Michael Le Vell, the character first appeared on-screen during the ...
(
Michael Le Vell
Michael Robert Turner (born 15 December 1964), known professionally as Michael Le Vell, is an English actor. He is best known for his role as mechanic Kevin Webster in the long-running ITV (TV channel), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', a ro ...
), in which Kevin reveals that he is the father of baby Jack, and not Tyrone as the result of the affair they had.
On 8 November 2010, Tyrone organises a party for Jack's 74th birthday in the Rovers Return. Jack reveals to Molly that he overheard her and Kevin discussing baby Jack's paternity. Jack does not condemn Molly and he admits he and Vera had both done the same as she had to each other, but tells her that Tyrone never would and pleads with her to move the family away from Weatherfield. Later, after seeing Tyrone and Molly happy together with baby Jack, he decides to quietly slip out of his own party saying his final words to
Peter Barlow (
Chris Gascoyne) and then waving goodbye to
Ken Barlow
Ken Barlow is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', played by William Roache. He was created by Tony Warren as one of ''Coronation Street''s original characters and December 2020 marked Ken's 60th anni ...
(
William Roache
William Patrick Roache (born 25 April 1932) is an English actor. He is best known for playing Ken Barlow in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' since it was first broadcast on 9 December 1960. He is listed in the ''Guinness World Records ...
), who raises a glass to him as he leaves. Jack goes home and whilst listening to a
Matt Monro
Matt Monro (born Terence Edward Parsons, 1 December 1930 – 7 February 1985) was an English singer. Known as "The Man with the Golden Voice", he performed internationally during his 30-year career. AllMusic has described Monro as "one of the m ...
record "Softly As I Leave You", which Tyrone had given him as a present, he dies in his armchair and is joined by the ghost of Vera, who tells him off, yet again, for his scruffy appearance. She tells Jack she'll be late for a bus and Jack's spirit leaves his body and gets out of his chair and dances with Vera and they share a kiss. Some time later, Tyrone, Molly and Connie return home to find Jack dead in his chair, and a tearful Tyrone says his last words to him "Good Night Dad". Jack and Vera's ashes are later scattered off Blackpool Pier by Tyrone and Connie.
Casting
Unlike the creation process with many other roles, no auditions were held for the part of Jack.
Actor William Tarmey had previously been an extra in the serial, and in 1978 he played the small credited part of "Jack Rowe". He was offered the guest role of Jack Duckworth for two episodes in November 1979. Of his previous credits, Tarmey states: "I'd worked on ''Coronation Street'' for about ten years throwing darts in the background and whilst doing that I was doing little cameo parts, on other programmes."
Tarmey was later asked back for a handful of episodes in 1981 and was eventually asked to become a regular cast member a year later.
Tarmey had prepared for this with the help of fellow cast members and of this he adds: "I've had so many helping hands through the years from
Jean ">lexanderand
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Bet Lynch and
Ken Barlow
Ken Barlow is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', played by William Roache. He was created by Tony Warren as one of ''Coronation Street''s original characters and December 2020 marked Ken's 60th anni ...
respectively], from them all".
In 1997, executive producer Brian Park axed a number of characters; Tarmey has stated he was so tired of seeing his fellow cast members worrying about their jobs that he asked to be written out, but Park decided to keep him on.
In 2001, the serial imposed a series of cuts on salaries as part of cost-cutting efforts. This resulted in Tarmey considering leaving, but producers decided against lowering his salary and convinced him to stay. In 2004, Tarmey extended his contract further along with his on-screen wife Dawn. In June 2008, he spoke of his desire to continue in the role.
From September 2009 onwards, Tarmey filmed on an episodic basis. In a storyline, Jack moved away from Coronation Street but continued to make occasional appearances at the Rovers and in the cafe. The reason for this was due to Tarmey's increasing health problems. On 9 April 2010, it was announced Tarmey would leave the show. His final scenes were broadcast on 8 November 2010.
On 9 April 2010, it was announced that Bill Tarmey had quit his role of Jack in the show's fiftieth anniversary year. Speaking of his decision to quit, Tarmey stated: "I've had the most amazing 30 years playing Jack. Because of him I've made fantastic friends and travelled all over the world. I'll be sorry to say goodbye." Filming Jack's final scenes upset Tarmey, of this he stated: "It was delightful. And very moving. It was a case of 'Pass the hand towel'
..you know, filming those scenes was difficult. I'm leaving my other family. I've worked with all these people for 30-odd years and it was impossible for me to act or watch the death scene and cut that off."
Development
Characterisation
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
publicity describe him as being fond of pigeons and betting whilst disliking household chores.
Stuart Heritage of newspaper ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' describes Jack as having "a constant downbeat aura of a person who knows that his entire life has been a joyless procession of gloomy disappointments."
Another reporter of the newspaper, Mark Lawson, described Jack as "A pigeon-fancying, flat-cap-wearing, wise-cracking, philandering, Sinatra-loving Lancashire lad, Jack epitomised the vivid character comedy in which the serial specialises."
In 1991 Tarmey spoke of Jack's changes in attitude over his early years in the book ''Life on the Street''.
"Jack has settled down and matured a bit, he has accepted things with a kind of middle-aged resignation", Tarmey stated.
He also branded Jack's days of chasing "birds" as over and some of his greatest loves as being "booze and barmaids".
Jack has a "strange moral code" when it comes to his marriage.
Tarmey brands one of Jack's good qualities as being the fact he is not a thief, but did add "He regards stealing
Alec Gilroy
Alec Gilroy is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', played by Roy Barraclough. The character made several appearances in the show as a small-time talent agent, the first in 1972, and later as a series re ...
's (
Roy Barraclough
Roy Senior Barraclough (12 July 1935 – 1 June 2017) was an English comic actor. He was best known for his role as Alec Gilroy, the devious, mournful landlord of the Rovers Return in the long-running British TV soap '' Coronation Street'', a ...
) beer as one of the perks of his job".
"Jack and Vera"
Jack's relationship with
Vera Burton (
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 ...
) was always up and down, they had a rocky marriage and sometimes Jack appeared to show little care for her.
Tarmey describes the first few decades in the following manner: "He would never knowingly hurt people and he loves Vera, although he doesn't always like her. He will defend her to the death, unless the chap slagging her off is bigger than he is! Jack is not a thief either!"
In their "hey-day" they were dubbed as the modern day
Stan (
Bernard Youens
Bernard Arthur Popley (28 December 1914 – 27 August 1984), better known by his stage name Bernard Youens, was an English character actor of stage and television, and briefly appeared in radio plays and had cameos in film. He was also a TV ...
) and
Hilda Ogden
Hilda Ogden (also Crabtree) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', one of the best-known of all the regular characters in the serial, whose name became synonymous with a classic hard-working Northern ...
(
Jean Alexander
Jean Margaret Hodgkinson (11 October 1926 – 14 October 2016), known by the stage name Jean Alexander, was a British television actress. She was best known to television viewers for her long running role of Hilda Ogden in the soap opera ''Co ...
)
In their early days, Jack and Vera both had their fair share of dalliances. In 1982, whilst Vera was entertaining her own boyfriend, Jack had developed an attraction towards
Bet Lynch (
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 ...
).
Tarmey recalls the scenes in which Jack and Bet flirt, stating he was nervous and had to have Goodyear's help.
They believed the storyline was a turning point for the two and was written with wit.
Dawn opines: "It was very cleverly written, because Vera knew that Jack had a girlfriend on the side but she didn't know the other woman was Bet. So she chose Bet as someone to confide in, and she really opened her heart. It was quite moving as well as funny." This led to a classic showdown in the Rovers.
![Jack and Vera Duckworth](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Jack_and_Vera_Duckworth.jpg)
In another storyline Jack's son Terry sells his baby
Tommy Duckworth
Tommy Duckworth is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Darryl Edwards from 1992 to 1997, Joseph Aston in 2000 and Chris Fountain from 2011 to 2013. The character was born on screen during the ...
(Darryl Edwards), leaving Jack and Vera devastated. When Jack and Vera realise what he has done, Jack punches Terry. The scenes made viewers happy to see Terry getting what hurt.
Tarmey himself felt sadness because he knew how Jack felt: "When I first saw the script I was very sad
..I worked out the punch with Nigel and I missed him by a whisker. Since then I've had letters saying "Well done for cracking him one" from little old ladies, young women, kids, guys."
On 8 November 2010 Tarmey made his final appearance, with Jack dying in his armchair at his old Coronation Street house, following a birthday party at the Rovers. In Jack's final death scene he sees visions of Vera, which Dawn returned to film. Producer
Phil Collinson
Philip Collinson (born 26 August 1970) is a British television producer. He was initially an actor, before switching to working behind the cameras in the industry as a script editor and writer on programmes such as ''Springhill'' and ''Emmerda ...
explained why they decided to include her: "It's something I've heard a lot. People say, 'When my mother was dying she saw my father'
..It's a story I've heard a few people say. We're storytellers at the end of the day. Yes it's Coronation Street and yes it reflects real life, but we're storytellers."
Whilst Executive producer Kieran Roberts opined that he would be surprised if anyone thought it was the wrong decision.
[
]
In other media
Jack appears in a theatrical version of the story of ''Coronation Street'' titled "Corrie!" in which Jack and Vera are shown as Terry sells their grandchild.
Reception
In January 1985, David Porter of current affairs magazine, ''Third Way
The Third Way is a centrist political position that attempts to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a varying synthesis of centre-right economic policies with centre-left social policies. The Third Way was born from a ...
'', criticised ''Coronation Street's'' attitude towards employment, stating that being unemployed seemed to not be a problem for some characters as they were either "loved layabouts" or "acknowledged rogues", like Jack. In Dorothy Catherine Anger's book ''Other worlds: society seen through soap opera'' she brands Jack as one of the "middle aged men" who "over the years have, stymied their wives' efforts to be accepted as respectable". Dorothy Hobson in her book ''Soap Opera'' stated that marriages never seem to last in the genre, but added that Jack and Vera were an exception, in her opinion it was because although he loved her, he was terrified of sex. Ian Wylie of ''The Guardian'' branded Jack and Vera as "one of TV drama's most enduring – and real – double acts". Channel Five's soap opera reporting website Holy Soap
Holy Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas '' Home and Away'' and '' Neighbours'', which are broadcast ...
brands Jack's most memorable moments as being "his Vince St Clair alias" and "when Jack returned home to find Vera had died in her sleep." The website has also branded him a "pigeon fancier" What's on TV
''What's on TV'' is a weekly television listings magazine published by Future PLC.
Overview
''What's on TV'' is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and compe ...
describe Jack stating: "Had a famously rocky marriage to Vera but widower Jack Duckworth (William Tarmey) has mellowed over the years. Once a bit of a jack-the-lad, he's now more of a 'Jack the kipper', as he's enjoying retirement and taking life easy."
TV critic Jim Shelley for the ''Daily Mirror
The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...
'' spoke of his regret that Jack Duckworth would be leaving the show: "Soap characters come and go, but it's a genuine shame that, after 31 years, Bill Tarmey is finally leaving ''Coronation Street''. It's hard to think of a more popular or nicer character than Jack Duckworth. Decent people are few and far between in soaps. Viewers loved Stan and Hilda Ogden for example. But you couldn't say that they were as warm or reassuring a presence as Jack. Of course he was part of one of the great loving couples/double acts in Street history." 11.64 million viewers tuned in to see Jack's final appearance.
Jack's final scenes on the show were praised by fans and critics alike. Jim Shelley called Jack's death scene with the ghostly appearance of Vera, "one fthe most moving scenes ever seen in soap". Mark Lawson
Mark Gerard Lawson is an English journalist, broadcaster and author. Specialising in culture and the arts, he is best known for presenting the flagship BBC Radio 4 arts programme ''Front Row (radio programme), Front Row'' between 1998 and 2014. ...
of ''The Guardian'' described Jack and Vera's last dance as a great piece of social realism. As a tribute to the character ITV broadcast a short documentary profiling Jack's life in the serial. 7 million viewers tuned into watch the show. Stuart Heritage of ''The Guardian'' stated that Jack had iconic accessories which are his "golden-era glasses" stuck together with Elastoplast and his vest. They also commented on his pigeon keeping hobby, stating: "Forget Vera Duckworth, the one true love of Jack's life was his flock of pigeons." Lucy Mangan writing for ''The Guardian'' reviewed the serial's theatrical piece ''Corrie!'', stating: "The scene in which Terry arrives to take his son away from grandparents Jack and Vera is enough to precipitate a Proustian rush of tearful memories. All those years of misery the wretched Terry caused his parents – oh, Jack's bitter resignation! – come flooding back."[ In the ''Morley Observer & Advertiser'' a columnist expressed their disappointment Jack and Vera were onscreen when he wanted to watch football and opined "difference is that the dramatic acting in the football is better".]
References
External links
Character profile
o
ITV.com
Character profile
on STV
Character profile
on Holy Soap
Holy Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas '' Home and Away'' and '' Neighbours'', which are broadcast ...
Character profile
on What's on TV
''What's on TV'' is a weekly television listings magazine published by Future PLC.
Overview
''What's on TV'' is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and compe ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duckworth, Jack
Coronation Street characters
Fictional bartenders
Television characters introduced in 1979
Fictional characters with cancer
Male characters in television