Rita Tanner
| Rita Sullivan | |||||||||||||
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| Coronation Street character | |||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Barbara Knox | ||||||||||||
| Duration | 1964, 1972– | ||||||||||||
| First appearance | 2 December 1964 | ||||||||||||
| Introduced by |
Tim Aspinall (1964) Brian Armstrong (1972) |
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| Spin-off appearances |
Coronation Street: The Cruise (1995) Coronation Street: A Knights Tale (2010) Rita & Me (2014) |
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| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||
| Occupation | Businesswoman Newsagent |
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| Home | 10a Coronation Street | ||||||||||||
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| Father | Harold Littlewood |
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| Mother | Amy Littlewood |
| Husband |
Len Fairclough (1977–1983) Ted Sullivan (1992) Dennis Tanner (2012–2015) |
| Adoptive daughters | Jenny Bradley (foster) |
| Stepsons | Stanley Fairclough |
| Uncles | Sam Littlewood |
Rita Tanner (also Littlewood, Bates, Fairclough and Sullivan) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Barbara Knox, the character first appeared on-screen on 2 December 1964 for one episode as Rita Littlewood. The character returned full-time on 31 January 1972, and was briefly credited as Rita Bates (January - May 1972), then as Littlewood (until 1977), Fairclough (1977–92), Sullivan (1992–2012), and Tanner (since 2012). For her portrayal of Rita, Barbara Knox won the TV Times Award for Best Actress (1989) and the British Soap Award for Best On-Screen Partnership (2006).
Stan Ogden (Bernard Youens) is taken with a young woman in the Rovers and buys her a drink, only for Dennis to step in when he recognises her - Rita Littlewood, a belly dancer who's appearing at the Viaduct Sporting Club. She can't find digs for the week and persuades a reluctant Dennis to let her sleep in Elsie's bed while she's away. Dennis worries what people will say about Rita staying with him. Miss Nugent calls on Dennis about panto rehearsals and is shocked to see Rita in her nightie. The next morning, Lucille wonders why Dennis is making up a breakfast tray. Dennis tells Rita of his disillusionment with showbusiness. Charlie slips on the joists in the loft and puts his foot through the ceiling of Elsie's room. He apologises to the figure in the bed and realises it isn't Elsie. Dennis pays for the hole to be repaired when Charlie blackmails him over Rita in the bed. Elsie returns to the house, sees the hole and hears about Rita. It would be over seven years until Rita reappears.
In January 1972, Rita returns to the Street as Rita Bates. Living with Harry Bates (as his common-law wife), and his twelve-year-old son Terry. Initially attracted to Ken Barlow, Rita later starts an on-off relationship with Len Fairclough. Len arrives at Harry Bates’s house to return a scarf that Rita left in his van. They flirt. Len tells Jerry and Ray to stay out of the house that evening as he’s entertaining a lady but to tidy up before they go. Ray delays going until Rita arrives so he can see who the woman is. Rita tells Len that her husband is away often working on building motorways. She obviously isn’t happy in her marriage. Len tells her how much he likes her but Alf interrupts them. Rita is surprised to find out that Len is a councillor.
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