Ranked: The greatest Corrie Christmas episodes of all time – Hilda’s farewell to Dev and Deirdre’s affair reveal
Christmas on the cobbles in Coronation Street is very rarely joyful…
For this year’s instalment, soap legend Gail Platt is saying goodbye after 50 years on the soap…
From unexpected flings and deadly fires to attempted murder and weddings ending in disaster, here are the greatest Coronation Street Christmas episodes of all time…
10. Coronation Street Christmas: Leanne and Nick’s wedding – 2012
If you plan to tie the knot on the cobbles on Christmas Day, chances are it’s going to end in disaster. And for Leanne Battersby and Nick Tilsley, it did.
Their big day in 2012 went to ruins when Nick called it off after learning Leanne had second thoughts. Before walking down the aisle, she offered ex-Peter Barlow one last chance to get back together.
Drama soon ensued, but Leanne and Nick later managed to end up back in each other’s arms. Well, that was until this year, when he slept with her sister Toyah…
9. Coronation Street Christmas: Karen and Tracy feud – 2004
Former soap favourite Karen McDonald’s long-running feud with Tracy Barlow came to an end on Christmas Day in 2004.
The pair had been at blows for months – and things took a dramatic turn when Tracy confronted Karen, thinking Karen had just killed daughter Amy by torching her car.
Getting Karen onto the roof of the factory, Tracy threatened to kill her as crowds gathered below. Fortunately for Karen, Steve arrived and saved his wife.
But things went from bad to worse when Karen ended things with Steve, and on Boxing Day, she left Coronation Street for good.
8. Sally’s cancer news – 2009
Back in 2009, Kevin Webster was about to reveal all to wife Sally about his affair with Molly Dobbs. But she got there first with her own bombshell: she had breast cancer.
Kevin later ended things with Molly – and Sally managed to beat the disease.
What’s more, at the same time as Sally’s cancer news, in real-life, actress Sally Dynevor also had breast cancer, and has previously said that the storyline had potentially saved her life.
7. Becky’s flat fire – 2011
It wouldn’t be Christmas on the cobbles without some sort of epic stunt – and 2011’s offering involved a flat go up in flames.
After learning Steve McDonald proposed to Tracy Barlow, a heartbroken Becky McDonald drowned her sorrows and drank herself to sleep.
Little did she know she had accidentally set fire to her flat, causing absolute carnage.
Thankfully, Nick Tilsley spotted the fire and managed to rescue Becky by kicking the door down.
6. Richard Hilman tries to kill Emily – 2002
Richard Hillman is by far one of Corrie’s best villains. From 2001 to 2003 he caused plenty of drama as Gail Platt’s husband.
However, the dodgy businessman’s criminal behaviour escalated into murder…
On Christmas Day 2002, he tried to murder beloved resident Emily Bishop in a bid to get his hands on her money and house. As he attempted to smother her with a pillow, fortunately, Rita Tanner walked in, meaning he was unable to go ahead with his deadly plan.
Richard did end up killing Maxine Peacock the following year, before meeting his own grisly end in March 2003.
5. Ashley and Claire’s wedding – 2004
A more cheerier Christmas Day on the cobbles was when Ashley and Claire Peacock tied the knot in 2004.
The lovebirds has struck up a romance in 2003 when Claire was hired as a nanny to his son Joshua. And it’s fair to say their wedding wasn’t conventional…
After saying their “I do’s”, Ashley and Claire walked out under a butcher’s guard of meat cleavers, a nod to Ashley’s job on the street.
4. Coronation Street Christmas: Rosie and John affair reveal – 2007
On Christmas Day 2007, it all kicked off on the cobbles when Rosie and her teacher John Stape’s affair was exposed to everyone.
The pair had struck up a romance earlier in the year when he tutored Rosie.
But on Christmas Day 2007, things went pear-shaped when John mixed up Rosie’s sexy Christmas underwear, with his wife Fiz’s baggy pjs gift…
3. Robert’s death – 2019
Back in 2019, and for the first time in the soap’s history, a regular character was killed off during the Christmas Day special.
In tense scenes, Derek Milligan went on a shooting spree in a Christmas market on the cobbles. The bad guy shot Shona Platt, leaving her with a brain injury.
But unfortunately, he also shot Robert Preston – who first appeared on the soap in 1996. Robert later died from his injuries.
2. Hilda’s farewell – 1987
Christmas Day on Coronation Street in 1987 was an emotional one, as iconic character Hilda Ogden said her goodbyes for good.
Hilda had been on the cobbles for 23 years, but the beloved cleaning lady bowed out of Weatherfield forever.
In tear-jerking scenes, she received a send-off in The Rovers, before leaving for good. Her exit episode bagged the soap’s biggest-ever viewing figures – with over 27 million people tuning in.
1. Deirdre and Dev – 2001
It was the fling that *no one* saw coming…
Back in 2001, a happily (or so we thought) married Deirdre Barlow ended up cheating on Ken with Dev Alahan.
Their night of passion came after a stressful Christmas Day for both Deirdre and Dev. Sitting side by side on the couch, the two turned to each other for comfort and ended up kissing – in scenes that took viewers by serious surprise!
Dev later came clean to Deirdre’s daughter Tracy when they started dating, and Deidre revealed the truth to a Ken – who forgave her and they stayed together.