He was a legendary character in a British television institution for 30 years but at the height of his fame Mike Baldwin briefly swapped Weatherfield for Watford to visit a furniture shop.
The Coronation Street star, played by the late Jonny Briggs, was snapped by a Watford Observer photographer taking centre stage on a shopping trolley as he mixed with customers during a visit to the MFI store in Aldenham Road in May 1983.
Since his first appearance in 1976, the fictional owner of Baldwin’s Casuals had been involved in some of the soap’s most high-profile storyline, none bigger than in 1983 when he had an affair with Deidre Barlow while she was still married to Ken.
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The storyline became a TV ratings winner and gained plenty of coverage in the media as it captured the nation’s attention.
The actor appeared in more than 2,300 episodes of the soap before his final scenes were broadcast in April 2006 as he collapsed and died in the arms of Ken after suffering a heart attack.
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