Coronation Street barmaid Edna Miller might only have been a small part in the show, but she was a big hit!
After an initial appearance in 1998, she returned to the cobbles from 2000 until 2001.
Who was Edna Miller? And what happened to her?
Who was Edna Miller in Coronation Street?
Edna first arrived for an interview at the Rovers Return pub in 1998 when Vera and Jack Duckworth ran it.
She was sour and miserable and Jack wasn’t impressed at all. She didn’t get the job.
Edna had had a husband called Leslie, plus two more before him.
Edna then returned in 2000 working at Underworld. She was known as ‘Edna from Packing’ in the show.
Behind the scenes Edna was actually supplying Ken Barlow with information on the poor working conditions in the factory. He then wrote negative articles in the local paper.
Factory boss Mike Baldwin, believed Ken’s wife Deirdre, who also worked at the factory, was to blame for the leak. She quit her job.
Edna eventually came clean and Mike sacked her.
But work wasn’t far away for grumpy Edna after Natalie Barnes took her on as a cleaner at the pub.
She had a trial shift as a barmaid in May 2001 after new landlord Duggie Ferguson was short staffed.
Barman Peter Barlow wasn’t impressed with Duggie’s choice, saying: “Oh yeah, people would be queuing up to be served by the Grim Reaper!”
Edna insisted: “I can do chirpy if that’s what you mean. There’s a lot to me you haven’t seen.”
Sure enough she then walked in glammed up and ready to serve.
What happened to Edna in Corrie?
Her trial shift at the Rovers seemed to be going well, until Duggie offered to make the position permanent.
“I forgot how much hard work chirpy is,” she told him. “I’d rather go back to a duster and polish if you don’t mind.”
And that was the end of her barmaid career.
A few months later, in September 2001, Edna and a few of the girls were getting drunk in the Rovers.
Shelley Unwin, who’d been put in charge by Duggie, asked Edna to lock up when they’d done.
The next day, Edna was nowhere to be seen.
No one knew where she was until Duggie went for an afternoon nap and found her in his bed.
Edna was dead.
Who played Edna in Coronation Street?
Joan Kempson portrated Edna.
After Edna’s death, Joan also played her equally miserable sister, Iris Merry, who attended Edna’s funeral!
Joan has also appeared in dramas Clocking Off and Early Doors as well as parts in Doctors, Casualty, Moving On and Our Girl.
Most recently she starred in a short called Incompatible.
Fans love her!
Although Edna never had a leading role or proper storyline, she was a huge hit with fans.
Those currently watching Classic Corrie on ITV3 love her.
“Thank gawd for Edna,” one said.
“Peter’s got some cheek! Edna is fab,” agreed another.
“Love Edna,” said a third.
A fourth wrote: “I’m finding Edna Miller in Classic Corrie increasingly alluring.”
“Yes, Edna you’re miserable but we love you anyway,” cheered someone else.
“Edna’s a tonic,” said one more.
Another said: “Edna is the spirit of Corrie.”
Edna been a delight 🤣 oh #classiccorrie
— Danni🍕 (@Dbella91) August 17, 2022
Peters got some cheek! Edna is fab. #classiccorrie
— Danni🍕 (@Dbella91) August 17, 2022
Read more: Coronation Street who’s leaving in 2022?
Classic Coronation Street airs weekday afternoons on ITV3.
Coronation Street usually airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
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