Coronation Street Emily Bishop legend’s son issues rare update on rarely seen icon
The son of Coronation Street icon Eileen Derbyshire has shared an update concerning his mum, almost six years since her last appearance.
The actress, 93, played Emily Bishop in the ITV soap for 55 years between 1961 and 2016. At the time, it was reported that she was departing to take an ‘extended break’.
God-fearing Emily first appeared in episode four, though it wasn’t until 11 episodes later that Eileen assumed the part on a regular basis.
Eileen briefly reprised the part in 2019 – albeit via a video call – to speak to Ken Barlow (William Roache) from her new home in Edinburgh. She had moved there after a number of years volunteering in Peru.
The character is rarely mentioned nowadays, though Sally Metcalfe (Sally Dynevor) did allude to her good nature whilst visiting Carla Connor (Alison King) in hospital last month.
Eileen is notoriously private, and has forever shunned the spotlight – even whilst regularly appearing on Britain’s most famous soap opera.
She’s given just a handful of interviews over the years, one of these televised in a tribute to her former co-star Margot Bryant, who played Minnie Caldwell.
With Emily no longer on our screens, fans were – understandably – interesting in hearing how Eileen was doing.
Her son Oliver, who is a sports journalist, previously told The Times that his mother is ‘private, and one of the last of a dying breed of old-fashioned actresses who do it for the love of acting, not for all the attendant publicity.’
In recent months he’s shared a number of Coronation Street artefacts from his mum’s archive, including photographs, press clippings and props, on social media.
Alongside a picture of the cast in 1969 he said: ‘Back at my mum’s place. Found this packed away. Halcyon days of Coronation Street.’
Sharing a snap of a framed collage, Oliver wrote: ‘Still in its wrapping – photo marking 30th anniversary of the start of the Street.’
The trips down memory lane prompted one fan to ask: ‘I’m loving these memories, but is your Mum okay?’
‘She’s doing ok, Matthew. It’s kind of you to ask. She’s 93 now so she has a few issues but she’s well looked after and is happy’ he replied, with a number of fans flocking to their comments to share the love.
‘Please send my regards to your Mum. I’m glad she’s happy. She’s very much missed on the Street. A Legend’ said one.
‘I always enjoy watching your mum in Classic Corrie. A superb actress’ added another.
Early stories for the Emily, then known as Miss Nugent, revolved around her adoration for her shopkeeper colleague Leonard Swindley (Arthur Lowe), who she later jilted when she confessed that she’d only proposed to him for fear of being branded a spinster.
She eventually found true love in photographer Ernie Bishop (Stephen Hancock), who was cruelly murdered in the office of Baldwin’s Casuals in 1978.
27 years later, the gunman who killed her beloved Ernest returned to the cobbles and she found the inner strength to forgive him for his actions.
Emily’s second husband, pet shop owner Arnold Swain (George Waring) was then revealed to be a bigamist.
Following her retirement, the character was often seen doing charitable work in the Weatherfield community, as well as in comedic scenes with her lodgers Percy Sugden (Bill Waddington) and Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden).
Emily Bishop can be seen in Classic Coronation Street, weekdays from 2:40pm on ITV3.
