Donald Michael Brennan was a character in Coronation Street from Ep 2758 - 7 Sep 1987 to Ep 4278 - 8 Oct 1997. He was the second husband of Ivy Brennan. Don originally was quite good but turned villainous due to many setbacks in the 1990s, especially at the hands of arch rival Mike Baldwin. His marriage to Ivy was marred by her obsession with the memory of her deceased son Brian Tilsley who had been killed in 1989. In 1992, Don had a car crash and had to have a lower leg amputated. Don had affairs due to Ivy's obsession over her son who was killed and it eventually lead to Ivy leaving in 1994, and she died of a stroke in 1995. Don was swindled by Mike and this left Don a bitter, vengeful man.
In October 1997, Don died in a car crash when trying to kill arch rival Mike Baldwin. Don was played by Geoff Hinsliff.
Biography
Backstory
Donald Michael Brennan was born on the 30th November 1937 in Weatherfield to Michael Brennan and Bridget Brennan who were of Irish heritage. Don had a sister Maureen Brennan. In 1958 Don married Patricia O'Connor and they had 3 children, Eileen Brennan, Gordon Brennan and Margaret Brennan.
Don worked as a taxi driver and for years he provided Weatherfield residents with his service.
1987-1997
The arrival of the most famous taxi driver ever to live in Weatherfield.
Don arrived in Coronation Street in September 1987 and started dating Ivy Tilsley. Don attended the farewell party of Hilda Ogden in December 1987. Don and Ivy married the following June of 1988. Don moved into Number 5 Coronation Street. In February 1989, Brian Tilsley, Ivy's son from her first marriage, was stabbed outside a nightclub and sadly died that night. This affected Don's marriage to a devastated Ivy as she became fixated on preserving Brian's memory. Ivy became very domineering, more so than before.
In December 1990, Don helped Sally Webster give birth as she went into labour in the back of his taxi. A baby girl Rosie Webster was born.
Ivy Brennan's erratic behaviour over her dead son Brian lead Don to seek romance elsewhere. In 1992, Don had a romance with Julie Dewhurst. He told Julie she does not know what it is like living with the domineering and selfish Ivy. Don felt that being married to Ivy was like living with "God's hitman", and said this to Julie. Julie dumped him after he planned to leave Ivy for her. An angry Don sped down a country lane in his car and crashed. Several bones in his right leg were so broken that his lower leg had to be amputated.Don wore a prosthetic leg after he came out of hospital in mid 1992. In August 1992, Don and Julie finished their affair and parted ways for good. Don and Ivy were a million miles apart, but he stayed with her, probably for convenience.
Still under stress due to his sham marriage to Ivy, Don then fell for hairdresser Denise Osbourne in 1993. He begun harassing her with nuisance phone calls.
Don Brennan in 1997.
Denise blamed her ex boyfriend Hanif Ruparell first, then she blamed Ivy until Don admitted he did it. Don and Ivy finally separated and Ivy left Don for a Catholic retreat in July 1994. In August that year, Ivy told Gail she will not be coming back to Weatherfield. In August 1995, a year later, Don asked for for a divorce and she died shortly afterwards, of a stroke, aged 59. Nicky blamed Don for Ivy's death as he had asked her for a divorce shortly before she died.
Don developed a gambling problem, and ended up owing a lot of money, much of it to his arch-enemy Mike Baldwin. Don became friends with Ashley Peacock after Ashley lodged with him. After Ivy left Coronation Street, Don had a relationship with Josie Clarke, who briefly worked for Mike. They planned to make money by buying his garage from him, only to discover that he had scammed them, and it was worth far less than they had paid for it. Josie left Don when he became obsessed with getting revenge on Mike. Don tried to kill himself in December 1996. In March 1997, Don spoke with Janice Battersby after she said Mike had laid her and her workmates off with no redundancy. This spurred Don to set fire to Mike's factory. He even kidnapped Alma Baldwin and drove his taxi into the canal with her inside, but they were both rescued and survived. Don was arrested and charged with attempted murder but managed to escape custody and turned up in The Rovers Return, Coronation Street and attacked Mike by almost strangling him with his tie before Jack Duckworth chucked him out. Ashley visited Don in prison in May 1997. Don did not know he had grassed Ashley to the police and thought Ivy was still alive. Don was said to be mentally disturbed.
Sometime between May and September 1997, Don developed pancreatic cancer.
In late September 1997, Don was in hospital under guard, as he was dying of cancer. At the start of October, Don escaped from hospital. He stalked Alma again at work. It was suggested by Mike Baldwin that Don was lying about dying when it was revealed he was well enough to escape hospital. Angie Freeman also said he may be pretending to be ill. Don visited Coronation Street and looked in the back yard of his old house, No 5, but was met by the fiery Les Battersby who told him to get lost. Les thought Don was after his scrap, so Don ran off. Don's dying wish was to kill rival Mike Baldwin so he held him prisoner at his factory after hitting him over the head with a table leg. Mike managed to free himself when Angie Freeman visited and foiled Don's plan. Mike ran out into the street but Don stole Alma's car and drove straight at Mike in the street but Mike got out of the way and Don crashed into The Railway Viaduct. The car exploded into flames, killing Don instantly. His reign of terror was over.
The wrecked car was soon towed away, and Don's body taken away. His funeral took place on the 15th October 1997. He was finally at peace.
Legacy
Mike Baldwin had a minor injury but he could finally move on with his life now Don was dead, and put the ordeal behind him.
The smoke stain on the brickwork from the car crash remained for years to come, in a similar way to when the soot stain on the Ogden's mural remained for years after soot fell from the chimney in 1977.
In November 2004, 7 years after Don's death, a similar incident happened when Mad Maya Sharma tried to kill Dev Alahan and Sunita Alahan and ended up crashing into the viaduct, however unlike Don, Maya survived.
The smoke stain was finally removed when a bistro was built in the viaduct arch in 2010, ironically opened by Don's step grandson Nick Tilsley.
Appendices
List of addresses
| Address | Duration |
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Employment history
| Role | Institution | Duration |
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Memorable info
Appearances: 7-16 September 1987, 14 December 1987-9 May 1997, 26 September-8 October 1997
Born: 30th November 1937
Died: 8th October 1997 (Aged 59)
Full Name: Donald Michael Brennan
Parents: Michael Brennan and Bridget Brennan
Siblings: Maureen Brennan
Spouse: Patricia O'Connor (1958-1981), Ivy Tilsley (1988-1995)
Children: Margaret Brennan, Eileen Brennan, Gordon Brennan
Stepchildren: Brian Tilsley
Step grandchildren: Nick Tilsley, Sarah Louise Platt