I've had high hopes that Ken Barlow's torrid affair with Stephanie Beecham would lead to some happiness during Ken's twilight years. Um, actually, hold on - Ken is probably only *59* in Coronation Street years, so I should really say middle age.Anyway, since Ken walked the ghastly, foul smelling dog Eccles down the towpath and had a chance encounter with the former star of The Colbys he's finally blossomed as a human being. At last he has found someone who he can talk to about Ibsen, especially as Stephanie once starred in Ibsen's The Doll's House! They can remember the Ban The Bomb marches, they can remember "smoking potash" and they both luff A Kind Of Blue, as well as all sorts of classical music and proper literature and all!
Back in Ken's house on Tha Street, it's impossible to have conversation or the thrill of shared experiences. Usually it's as packed as a phone box is when there's an attempt to break the world record for the number of people who can fit into a phone box.
It is impossible to have an *interesting* conversation with Missus Ken (Deirdre). On and off, Ken has been in a reliable but unexciting relationship with Deirdre for millions of years. Since he's been retired, he spends as much spare time as possible at the library.
Well, until he finally took the ghastly, foul smelling dog Eccles for a walk down that towpath after it had disappeared from Corrie for two years. There he encountered Stephanie Beecham and her barge and her drapey grey cashmere cardigans and her bohemian outlook on life. This was a heady taste of the exotic to poor emotionally famished Ken.
The affair was a slow burner, and Stephanie said she was calling it quits when she found out that Ken was married. Except, what with her being a woman and all, she has now offered Ken an ultimatum: come with her as she chugs off to Tamworth to see some friends ... or get out of her life forever.
It will all end in doom and Ken will be even more frustrated, which will give him the chance to *get his teeth* into some *real acting*.
My guess is that Stephanie will head all the way to London with Ken, then will dump him for a young black actor who is playing Othello.
Still, only time will tell. Maybe they'll reach their own crossroads at Bagnall Lock. Watch this space.
