In praise of Blanche

I'm posting a special Blanche's Polish Hip entry in honour of Maggie Jones, the wonderfully talented actor who played Blanche Hunt on some 830 memorable episodes of Corrie. She died at the age of 75.

Blanche Hunt was a fixture in the Barlow-Hunt household for many years and was famous for her acerbic tongue. She could be, in turn, maddening, funny, misanthropic, hyper-critical, obstinate, supportive, vulnerable and exasperating (mostly to Ken and Deirdre).

But her forte was an uncanny ability to deliver the best lines (real zingers) with wit and verve and impeccable timing.

A few random examples:

“He’s as much use as a wet tea towel”

"He’s not the fizziest drink in the fridge, is he?"

and, my personal favourite...

“Good looks are a curse, Deirdre. You and Kenneth should count yourselves lucky”.

It's no coincidence that Blanche is the patron saint of this blog and the inspiration behind much of my feeble ramblings. She was a finely drawn character and beautifully portrayed by Maggie Jones, authentic and original. I can say no more other than she will be dearly missed by many fans of Corrie.

For more details about this sad news you can check out these links at the BBC, The Telegraph and the CBC.