Coronation Street cast in mourning as soap legend dies
ok.co.ukCoronation Street's award-winning scriptwriter John Stevenson has sadly passed away. Aged 86 at the time of his death, John was responsible for the many of the ITV's soap most memorable plots over the course of 447 episodes up until 2006.
One such corker was the devastating dementia battle for Mike Baldwin, played by the late Johnny Briggs. Reacting to this sad loss, former Martin Platt actor Sean Wilson, who now plies his trade as a cheesemaker, described his late friend as a "talismanic writer of many an episode of the halcyon years of Coronation Street", with special mention of John's appreciation and execution of Northern England's "comedic charms" on screen. "From a little knowing wink to a rip-roaring belly laugh, John was a craftsman of TV humour," wrote the 58 year old. "His like will never be seen again in TV it seems.
He always had kind words for me throughout my tenure there and wrote some of my favourite episodes ever. Rest well John with a wry smile of contentment x." Maureen Holdsworth star Sherrie Hewson commented: "So very sad xxx", while another Weatherfield regular added: "What lovely words Sean.
He was indeed a wonderful writer, his scripts were always a joy to read." John notably collected the Lifetime Achievement prize at 2005's British Soap Awards, having also worked on the likes of Heartbeat, The Brothers McGregor and Mother's Ruin.
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