Audrey Roberts (nee Potter) is a character in Coronation Street who first appeared in Ep 1903 - 16 Apr 1979 and on a recurring basis from then to 1985 when she became a regular. She is the mother of Gail Rodwell and her half brother Stephen Reid. Audrey was the third wife of Alf Roberts until his 1999 death. Audrey is played by actress Sue Nicholls.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Audrey Potter was born on the 23rd July 1940 in Weatherfield to Robert Potter and Nancy Potter. She was their only child. In the late spring of 1956 she had a brief fling with Geoff Masters, who got her pregnant. Audrey was just 16 at the time. Audrey had a son Stephen on the 6th February 1957. Audrey's parents forced her to adopt the baby out. The baby was adopted out to Malcolm Reid and his wife in early-ish 1957. In the same year, July 1957, Audrey dated Ted Page. She was soon pregnant with his baby and he proposed to her but she turned him down. Ted the joined the Army in late 1957 and lost touch with Audrey. In April 1958, Audrey gave birth to a daughter Gail Potter. Audrey had had 2 children by the time she turned 18 in July 1958. Audrey's father Robert died when Gail was a baby. Audrey left her baby daughter with her mother much of the time.
From 1974 to 1979, Gail said her parents were strict and religious, maybe she was being modest and did not want to say that she was the child of an unmarried mother.
1979-1985[]
In April 1979 Audrey came to see her daughter Gail when she was getting engaged to Brian Tilsley. She then attended Gail's wedding to Brian in November 1979, and their Christmas. In May 1980, Audrey visited the family again, and again in late 1980, where she flirted with Fred Gee. Audrey welcomed her grandchild Nick in December 1980. Audrey visited her daughter sporadically in 1981, where she almost entered a relationship with local grocer Alf Roberts, but they called it off, at least for a few years. Audrey visited again in 1982 and 1984. In mid 1984, Audrey was dating George Hepworth but in July 1984, George made a pass at Gail. Ivy supported Gail and told her to warn Audrey as she needs to know what George is like. Audrey passed it off as George just being friendly to Gail but she did later reprimand George. In October 1984, George followed Audrey to No 5 Coronation Street after they split. Brian found out what George did to Gail, and almost hit George. George then left. Audrey visited Gail and Brian at No 5 again in April 1985. In September 1985, Audrey moved in with Gail and Brian after her boyfriend threw her out. Audrey then fell in love again with Alf Roberts.
1985-[]
Audrey then married Alf in December 1985 and settled down to life as his wife. Audrey did have delusions of grandeur. Alf ran his shop his way and told Audrey it is hard luck if she disagrees as he built the business up.
One time in October 1993, Alf got drunk and chatted Rita up saying he could leave Audrey and live with Rita. In December 1995 Audrey joined Alf and Don on the trip to London for Alf to get his OBE. However Audrey annoyed driver Don Brennan and he left her at a service station in North London. She hitched a lift to Buckingham Palace and saw Alf leave Buck House - with Betty Williams. Audrey was annoyed at Don for ruining her day. Audrey and Alf became friends with Fred Elliott, a local mouthy butcher. Audrey worked as a hairdresser for Fiona Middleton.
In 1997 and 1998 after he had retired, Alf had more time on his hands, and seemed a little more tired. At the same time, Audrey wanted to become a Councillor and hired Fred Elliott's help. Fred kept taking Audrey out to dinners and this tested his friendship with Alf. Alf became jealous and warned Fred off. Audrey bought the salon off Fiona and named it Audrey's Salon, Coronation Street. Alf's life insurance policy ran out on 31st December 1998, at the stroke of midnight. He did not renew it. On the New Years Eve/Day party, Alf sat down as he was tired but he sadly died shortly afterwards. He had died a few minutes after midnight so Audrey could not claim anything on Alf's life insurance. At his funeral, Mike Baldwin made a jibe at Fred, telling him not to cop off with the widow. Fred ignored the remark but may have been pleased that Alf was dead, so he could try and woo Audrey all he liked.
In May 1999, Fred dined Audrey, now that Alf was dead and not keeping a watchful eye on Fred dining his wife. During this dinner, Fred told Audrey that he has a son.
In 2001 Audrey was devastated when her best friend Alma passed away from cancer. She met Alma's cousin Richard Hillman at the funeral and was attracted to him, but he was more keen on Gail and entered into a relationship with her.
Throughout 2002 Audrey was a target of Richard when he planned to kill her off for her life insurance money as he was in financial difficulty. He spent some time making Audrey seem like she was going senile, before then setting the house on fire to make it look like an accident. Audrey survived and became suspicious of Richard, and was backed up by her friend Archie Shuttleworth, as well as neighbour Norris Cole. Gail refused to believe the claims against her husband, which created difficulty in their relationship. But the claims were true as Richard was exposed as a killer in February 2003, as he had killed his ex-wife Patricia Hillman and neighbour Maxine Peacock. Richard tried to kill Gail and the children by driving into the canal the following month, but only he perished.
In 1995, Audrey is left at the roadside at a London service station after a row with her and Alf's driver Don Brennan while on their way to collect Alf's OBE.
Audrey was saddened when Fred died suddenly in her house in October 2006. When Bill Webster returned she started a relationship with him, only to discover he was still married to his wife Maureen, who turned up at the Platt house on Christmas Day. Audrey's fiendish grandson David exposed the affair to Maureen, causing her to leave for Germany and divorce Bill. Bill moved in with Audrey and started a full-time relationship with her, but it didn't last and they split up.
In December 2009 Audrey met with friend Claudia Colby at a party and was introduced to Lewis Archer. She enjoyed the company of Lewis and Claudia revealed to Audrey that he was an escort and gave her his number. Feeling lonely, Audrey phoned Lewis and he came to her house and they exchanged stories. Enjoying the evening, Audrey kept in contact with Lewis. Their relationship became serious and they got together, although Gail didn't approve and believed Lewis was after Audrey's wealth. Audrey and Lewis made plans to move away and start a new life, but Lewis got cold feet and disappeared, but no before stealing from Barlow's Bookies. Audrey was shocked to find out about what Lewis down when the victim Peter Barlow confronted the Platts at the goodbye party, and that Lewis had wooed Peter's stepmother Deirdre Barlow to con the bookies. Despite being heartbroken, Audrey was relieved that Lewis hadn't stolen her money, despite the fact he could easily have done so.
In 2011 Audrey got friendly with Claudia's new man Marc Selby, who was revealed to be a transvestite. Claudia was disgusted and left the pair of them to their own devices, and Audrey entered into a relationship with him. But she didn't feel good about his double life as his alter-ego "Marcia" and broke off with him, despite finding it difficult.
In February 2012 Audrey and Gail went jogging in the countryside as part of a fitness regime, and were shocked to discover Lewis hanging out at a country pub. Lewis promised to explain everything but slipped out while they weren't looking, making them believe he had disappeared once again without facing any consequences. But Lewis returned to the street, paid Peter Barlow back the money he stole and then handed himself into the police. Lewis was spared a jail sentence for handing himself in, but was forced to do community service in the area. Audrey believed he had changed and got back with Lewis despite her family's misgivings, although her grandson Nick gave Lewis a job at his bistro.
Later in the year, Gloria Price lied to Lewis claiming that she had breast cancer in order to drive a wedge between him and Audrey, with Gail being aware of it. Audrey found out but was led to believe that they were testing Lewis' loyalty to Audrey. When Lewis found out about the deceit he was angry at Audrey and broke off with her. When Gloria was pushed out by her family due to her misbehaviour, Lewis gloated in her face.
In February 2013 it was revealed that Gail had been secretly in a relationship with Lewis for a few weeks, as she had felt bad about causing the breakup and saw him as a good man. Little did Gail know that this was a con of Lewis to get revenge for his breakup with Audrey, and he made off with money that she borrowed when he claimed he wanted to run away with her. Lewis left behind a confession video which humiliated Gail, and he revealed to Audrey that he was sorry about everything. He left Audrey a cut of the money to make up for her paying off a former victim of his to leave Lewis alone. Although Gail wanted to take the money back, a betrayed Audrey refused, telling Gail that she brought it on herself. When Audrey returned home she found flowers and a card from Lewis, and although touched proceeded to dispose of them, believing Lewis was truly out of her life once and for all.
Lewis would return four years later, in which he tried to con Gail out of more money with a fake medium Rosemary Piper. They were exposed and Lewis was later arrested and sent to prison, although he only did a two month sentence. He was released and Audrey gave him another chance and they settled down. But sadly for Audrey he passed away on the 1st January 2019 - on the day that she lost her beloved Alf twenty years prior.
In June 2022, her son Stephen Reid returned to Weatherfield and became invested in Underworld.
Relationships[]
Bill Webster[]
Audrey didn't know Bill when he originally stayed on the street as she didn't settle there until after he left the area in 1985. When Bill returned in 1995 after ten years, Audrey was drawn to him (despite being married to Alf Roberts) and got acquainted with Bill.
When Bill returned in 2006, a now widowed Audrey got together with him, although he was still married to Maureen Webster. The affair was exposed by Audrey's grandson David on Christmas Day, which ended Bill's marriage to Maureen. Bill moved in with Audrey when he decided to settle in Weatherfield. The pair decided to split up in 2008.
Trivia[]
- Although has been attracted and gone out with many men in her lifetime, Audrey's certain type of man she is attracted to appear to be larger built ones. She was married to Alf Roberts, and would later go out with bigger men such as Fred Elliott and Bill Webster. Lewis Archer and Marc Selby broke the mold as they didn't match this type. She had also briefly dated a large man named Henry Wilkins for a couple of days, although this didn't work out.
Behind the Scenes[]
- Audrey Potter was introduced as the mother of Gail, who had been introduced in the series back in 1974. Audrey was referenced at least as far back as 1976, although in a continuity error it was initially established that Gail's two parents were strict religious people, but Audrey's 1979 introduction confirmed that she was unmarried and was later revealed Gail was illegitimate and her past behaviour of getting with numerous men meant she had no morals bound by religious. It would also be later revealed that she had another illegitimate child, Gail's older brother Stephen Reid who was taken off Audrey by her father and put into adoption.
- Audrey appeared on a recurring basis from 1979 to 1982, and made further guest appearances from July 1984 to April 1985. In September 1985 she became a regular character and has appeared continuously since then.
- Audrey is over 3 years older than Sue Nicholls, the actress who plays her. Audrey born July 1940, and Sue born 23 November 1943.
Appendices[]
List of addresses[]
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Employment history[]
| Role | Institution | Duration |
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Memorable info[]
Appearances: 16–18 April 1979, 21 November–26 December 1979, 19 May–11 June 1980, 15 September 1980–28 January 1981, 21 September–25 November 1981, 5–7 April 1982, 2–18 July 1984, 29–31 October 1984, 8–17 April 1985, 30 September 1985–24 June 2020, 2 December 2020-
Born: 23rd July 1940
Full Name: Audrey Roberts (Nee Potter)
Parents: Robert Potter and Nancy Potter
Siblings: None
Spouse: Alf Roberts (1985-1999)
Children: Stephen Reid (1956), Gail Rodwell (1958)
Grandchildren: Nick Tilsley, Sarah Louise Platt, David Platt
Great Grandchildren: Bethany Platt, Lily Platt, Sam Blakeman