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| ‘Coronation Street,’ Beloved British Soap, Introduces Its First Black Family | ‘Coronation Street,’ Beloved British Soap, Introduces Its First Black Family |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| LONDON — “Coronation Street,” Britain’s (and the world’s) longest-running soap opera, which has chronicled working-class life near Manchester, England, since 1960, is introducing the first black family in the history of the series. | LONDON — “Coronation Street,” Britain’s (and the world’s) longest-running soap opera, which has chronicled working-class life near Manchester, England, since 1960, is introducing the first black family in the history of the series. |
| “Say hello to the Bailey family,” the show’s producers said in an announcement on Saturday. “A brand-new family moving to Weatherfield in June this year!” they added, referring to the fictional town based on Salford, an industrial city about two miles west of the center of Manchester. | “Say hello to the Bailey family,” the show’s producers said in an announcement on Saturday. “A brand-new family moving to Weatherfield in June this year!” they added, referring to the fictional town based on Salford, an industrial city about two miles west of the center of Manchester. |
| The announcement did not address the family’s race or ethnicity, but the show’s network, ITV, said it was the series’ first black family. | The announcement did not address the family’s race or ethnicity, but the show’s network, ITV, said it was the series’ first black family. |
| To many observers, the addition, while welcome, came astonishingly late for a show, fondly known as “Corrie,” that debuted in December 1960 and that has been watched by up to a third of the British public — including, reports say, Queen Elizabeth II. | To many observers, the addition, while welcome, came astonishingly late for a show, fondly known as “Corrie,” that debuted in December 1960 and that has been watched by up to a third of the British public — including, reports say, Queen Elizabeth II. |
| “How have the producers managed to get away with this for almost 60 years?” Matthew Xia, a theater director, told The Guardian, saying he was stunned it had taken so long for the show to reflect Manchester’s multicultural character. | “How have the producers managed to get away with this for almost 60 years?” Matthew Xia, a theater director, told The Guardian, saying he was stunned it had taken so long for the show to reflect Manchester’s multicultural character. |
| “It’s about time, a street right in the heart of Manchester and they’ve never had a black family live there,” one Twitter user, Carly Purland-Goodey, wrote on Saturday. | “It’s about time, a street right in the heart of Manchester and they’ve never had a black family live there,” one Twitter user, Carly Purland-Goodey, wrote on Saturday. |
| For decades, the set where the show was filmed was in central Manchester. In the 1970s and ’80s, the show was broadcast in the United States, first on public television to a lukewarm reception, and then on cable. | For decades, the set where the show was filmed was in central Manchester. In the 1970s and ’80s, the show was broadcast in the United States, first on public television to a lukewarm reception, and then on cable. |
| The show’s producer, Ian MacLeod, told ITV News that he did not know why the soap took so long to introduce a black family. | The show’s producer, Ian MacLeod, told ITV News that he did not know why the soap took so long to introduce a black family. |
| “Manchester has a large proportion of black residents, so it did feel sort of overdue we did this and represented modern Manchester a bit more accurately,” Mr. MacLeod said. | “Manchester has a large proportion of black residents, so it did feel sort of overdue we did this and represented modern Manchester a bit more accurately,” Mr. MacLeod said. |
| “Coronation Street” has had individual characters who are black or members of other racial and ethnic groups before. In 2013, a character of Pakistani origin appeared, followed shortly by members of his family, the Nazirs. (In 2016, Marc Anwar, who portrayed the father, Sharif Nazir, was fired over anti-India posts on Twitter.) | |
| The series, based on the residents of fictional Coronation Street, has been a British favorite for years alongside “EastEnders,” set in East London, and “Emmerdale,” set in Yorkshire. The story lines revolve around lives that viewers can easily identify with and have produced quotations and characters that are firmly engraved in British culture. | The series, based on the residents of fictional Coronation Street, has been a British favorite for years alongside “EastEnders,” set in East London, and “Emmerdale,” set in Yorkshire. The story lines revolve around lives that viewers can easily identify with and have produced quotations and characters that are firmly engraved in British culture. |
| The shows have given rise to some of the most popular television celebrities in the country, including Pat Phoenix, who played the glamorous Elsie Tanner on “Coronation Street,” and Barbara Windsor, who appeared as Peggy Mitchell, the protective pub owner in “EastEnders.” | The shows have given rise to some of the most popular television celebrities in the country, including Pat Phoenix, who played the glamorous Elsie Tanner on “Coronation Street,” and Barbara Windsor, who appeared as Peggy Mitchell, the protective pub owner in “EastEnders.” |
| Both shows are so iconic that they appear in guides to British culture that applicants for British citizenship need to study for the test. | Both shows are so iconic that they appear in guides to British culture that applicants for British citizenship need to study for the test. |
| In recent years, soap operas have seen a decline in viewership, according to a report published by the Office of Communications, or Ofcom, Britain’s telecom regulator. In 2007, “EastEnders,” “Coronation Street” and “Emmerdale” averaged 8.7 million viewers each. By 2017, that figure had dropped to 6.9 million, the report said. | In recent years, soap operas have seen a decline in viewership, according to a report published by the Office of Communications, or Ofcom, Britain’s telecom regulator. In 2007, “EastEnders,” “Coronation Street” and “Emmerdale” averaged 8.7 million viewers each. By 2017, that figure had dropped to 6.9 million, the report said. |
| In contrast with the aspirational settings and improbable plots of American soaps, the British shows have seduced viewers by portraying daily life with its difficulties, such as joblessness, poverty and raising children as single parents. Still their plot lines have been criticized for being nostalgic for a bygone era and tone-deaf to the changes in modern Britain. | In contrast with the aspirational settings and improbable plots of American soaps, the British shows have seduced viewers by portraying daily life with its difficulties, such as joblessness, poverty and raising children as single parents. Still their plot lines have been criticized for being nostalgic for a bygone era and tone-deaf to the changes in modern Britain. |
| “Coronation” was anointed the world’s longest-running TV soap when “As the World Turns” aired its last episode in 2010 on CBS, according to the Guinness World Records. | |
| The addition of the new family to “Coronation Street” appeared to be an attempt to address those issues, especially with the character of James Bailey, the 19-year-old younger son played by Nathan Graham. A talented footballer, the character will face the challenges of coming out as gay to his family and teammates. | The addition of the new family to “Coronation Street” appeared to be an attempt to address those issues, especially with the character of James Bailey, the 19-year-old younger son played by Nathan Graham. A talented footballer, the character will face the challenges of coming out as gay to his family and teammates. |
| The rest of the family includes the father, Edison, a builder, played by Trevor Michael Georges; the mother, Aggie, a pharmacy assistant, played by Lorna Laidlaw; and the older son, Michael, played by Ryan Russell. | The rest of the family includes the father, Edison, a builder, played by Trevor Michael Georges; the mother, Aggie, a pharmacy assistant, played by Lorna Laidlaw; and the older son, Michael, played by Ryan Russell. |
| The new family will make its debut on the show in June. |