An original Coronation Street star who appeared in the very first episode has died at the age of 88.
Actor Philip Lowrie played Dennis Tanner from the very beginning of the ITV soap, all the way back in 1960. His first stint lasted until 1968 (with a brief gap due to a union strike), and saw Dennis bounce from job to job until he settled down with Jenny Sutton and moved away.
He then returned for another stint between 2011 and 2014, which earned Lowrie a Guinness World Record for the longest gap between playing the same character on the same show (a record broken by Doctor Who in 2022).
Lowrie’s publicist Mario Renzullo said in a statement (via ITV): “My client and very dear friend, Philip Lowrie, the beloved actor renowned for his role as Dennis Tanner on Coronation Street, passed away yesterday at 88.
“His death marks the end of an era for the world’s longest-running soap, where he became a cornerstone of its storytelling.”
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🌐 Website: Corrienews.info
A post on the soap’s social media accounts added: “Everyone at Coronation Street is saddened to hear of the passing of Philip Lowrie.
“As an original member of the cast in 1960, Philip created an iconic character in Dennis Tanner, son of Elsie Tanner, played by Pat Phoenix. When Philip returned to Coronation Street in 2011 it was an honour and a privilege to work with him. Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy to his loved ones.”
🌐 Website: Corrienews.info
His 2010s storylines featured Dennis’ blossoming romance with and eventual marriage to Rita Sullivan.
Sadly, that came to an end when Dennis dumped Rita for a globe-trotting affair with Gloria Price… who quickly dumped him, leaving him to return to the Cobbles with his tail between his legs. He tried hatching plans with Julie Carp to win Rita back, but Norris Cole was having none of it.
In the soap’s 10,000th episode in 2020, viewers learned that Dennis has died off-screen. Rita took his ashes to Blackpool as per his wishes, but before she could scatter them, the urn was run over by an ambulance.
