Alec Gilroy - wikipedia Alec Gilroy Alec Gilroy Coronation Street character Portrayed by Roy Barraclough Duration 1972, 1975, 1986 -- 1992, 1995 -- 1998 First appearance Episode 1194 26 June 1972 Last appearance Episode 4534 30 December 1998 Introduced by Eric Prytherch ( 1972 ) Susi Hush ( 1975 ) Bill Podmore ( 1986 ) Sue Pritchard ( 1995 ) Brian Park ( 1996 ) Book appearances Coronation Street : The Complete Saga Classification Former ; regular Profile Occupation Wine Bar Owner Pub landlord Home Brighton Family Father Reg Gilroy Mother Mabel Gilroy Sisters Edna Gilroy Half - sisters Brenda Gilroy Wife Joyce Crosby ( 1955 -- 1965 ) Bet Lynch ( 1987 -- 1992 ) Daughters Sandra Arden Granddaughters Vicky McDonald Alexander `` Alec '' Gilroy is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, played by Roy Barraclough. The character made several appearances in the show as a small - time talent agent, the first in 1972, and later as a series regular from 1986 to 1992. He reappeared briefly in summer 1995, and returned for a longer stint between April 1996 and December 1998. Alec is best known for his tempestuous marriage to long - running character Bet Lynch ( Julie Goodyear ). Contents 1 Creation and development 2 Storylines 3 Reception 4 References Creation and development This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( August 2011 ) Alec is introduced as the manager of a Working Men 's Club, but soon progressed to being a theatrical agent with acts such as Rita Littlewood ( Barbara Knox ) under his control. In 1986, Alec took over the Graffiti Club on Rosamund Street, which enjoyed increased trade due to the fire at the Rovers Return. Through this Alec met Bet Lynch. It was after meeting Bet that Alec became a regular in Coronation Street and his character was fully explored by the show 's writers. Storylines Alec was mugged in 1988, which caused his wife Bet Lynch ( Julie Goodyear ) to wonder if he was operating an insurance fiddle. Cecil Newton ( Kenneth Alan Taylor ) and the police suspected the same, but on this occasion Alec had been telling the truth and was being honest. He was deeply hurt that nobody had believed him. In 1992, Alec left Bet after being offered a full - time job with Sunliners in Southampton. Alec later returned in July 1995 to visit his granddaughter Vicky ( Chloe Newsome ), revealing that he was the regional manager of a travel agents, called Sunliners. He disapproved of Vicky 's fiancé, Steve McDonald ( Simon Gregson ), believing that Steve was only after Vicky because of her money. Alec tried to bribe Steve into calling the wedding off and leaving Vicky but was unsuccessful. Vicky severed ties with her grandfather and left for St. Lucia with Steve where they married. Alec refused to say goodbye to them and returned to Southampton. Alec returned permanently in April 1996. In May 1997 he was made redundant from Sunliners. This did n't keep Alec down for too long, however, as he began a partnership with Jack ( Bill Tarmey ) and Vera Duckworth ( Liz Dawn ) at The Rovers Return, since Alec helped bail Jack and Vera out of a VAT bill. In July 1998, Alec saved Rita Sullivan 's ( Barbara Knox ) life after discovering her unconscious from carbon monoxide poisoning in her flat. It was caused by a faulty gas fire that Steve had fitted. The two subsequently became close, and Alec proposed to Rita. She accepted the proposal and when they both got cold feet, Alec decided to fit a door between their adjoining flats. They were both happy with the arrangement, ignoring the sniggers from other residents of the street. Relationships between Alec and the Duckworths soon became very strained and they finally agreed to dissolve their partnership, with Alec paying £ 30,000 for Jack and Vera 's share of the business. However, Alec allowed them to continue living and working at the Rovers. This arrangement did n't work out, and when Jack and Vera wanted to spend Christmas in Blackpool, Alec refused. They ignored him and still went, causing Alec to change the locks. Rita thought that Alec had gone too far, contacting the Duckworths in Blackpool and apologising. A three - day siege took place with no one willing to back down. When Alec discovered it was Rita who had phoned the Duckworths, he felt totally betrayed, and showing that money meant far more to him than affection, ended their relationship. To Rita 's dismay Alec boarded up the doorway between their flats. When Vicky unexpectedly turned up at Christmas 1998, it gave Alec the change to contemplate his life and reassess his priorities. Alec suggested to Vicky that he could go in partnership with her at her new wine bar in Brighton. Alec jumped at the chance to get away, selling the Rovers to Natalie Barnes ( Denise Welch ), and leaving the street. Reception The character has been described as `` scheming '', `` squat and snivelling '', and not one of the `` better choices '' of Bet. He has also been described as being `` Bet 's long - suffering inamorata ''. References Jump up ^ `` New Year gongs for celebs ''. The Sun. ( News International ). 31 December 2005. Retrieved 3 August 2011. Jump up ^ Birch, Helen ( 17 October 1995 ). `` Dear Bet Lynch ''. The Independent. ( Independent Print Limited ). Retrieved 3 August 2011. Jump up ^ Mangan, Lucy ( 9 February 2011 ). `` Corrie on stage ? Bless my hairnet ! ''. The Guardian. ( Guardian Media Group ). Retrieved 3 August 2011. Coronation Street characters Present and future characters Ken Barlow Rita Sullivan Peter Barlow Gail McIntyre Tracy Barlow Audrey Roberts Kevin Webster Martin Platt Jenny Bradley Sally Webster Gina Seddon Sarah Platt Liz McDonald Steve McDonald Rosie Webster David Platt Norris Cole Sophie Webster Daniel Osbourne Roy Cropper Robert Preston Leanne Battersby Toyah Battersby Tyrone Dobbs Dev Alahan Eileen Grimshaw Maria Connor Kirk Sutherland Bethany Platt Adam Barlow Fiz Brown Simon Barlow Sean Tully Chesney Brown Amy Barlow Aadi Alahan Asha Alahan Michelle Connor Ryan Connor Carla Connor Alex Neeson Gary Windass Mary Taylor Liam Connor Jr. Izzy Armstrong Max Turner Jack Webster Hope Stape Faye Windass Eva Price Beth Tinker Craig Tinker Joseph Brown Ruby Dobbs Tim Metcalfe Steph Britton Sinead Tinker Jake Windass Lily Platt Pat Phelan Alya Nazir Yasmeen Nazir Dr. Susan Gaddas Zeedan Nazir Gemma Winter Billy Mayhew Cathy Matthews Aidan Connor Alex Warner Johnny Connor Kate Connor Rana Habeeb Harry Platt Seb Franklin Shona Ramsey Jude Appleton Oliver Battersby Nicola Rubinstein Summer Spellman Angie Appleton George Appleton Abi Franklin Imran Habeeb Henry Newton Josh Tucker Past characters Sunita Alahan Christine Appleby Lewis Archer Shirley Armitage Katy Armstrong Owen Armstrong Danny Baldwin Frankie Baldwin Jamie Baldwin Mike Baldwin Deirdre Barlow Frank Barlow Ida Barlow Susan Barlow Des Barnes Natalie Barnes Janice Battersby Les Battersby Cilla Battersby - Brown Sheila Birtles Emily Bishop Natasha Blakeman Alan Bradley Renee Bradshaw Teresa Bryant Julie Carp Casey Carswell Matt Carter Paul Clayton Liam Connor Paul Connor Kelly Crabtree Hayley Cropper Trevor Dean Marcus Dent Jackie Dobbs Molly Dobbs Rob Donovan Jack Duckworth Terry Duckworth Tommy Duckworth Vera Duckworth Fred Elliott Anne Foster Frank Foster Alec Gilroy Tony Gordon Cheryl Gray Jason Grimshaw Todd Grimshaw Alma Halliwell Richard Hillman Charlotte Hoyle Blanche Hunt Mel Hutchwright Amber Kalirai Ray Langton Bet Lynch Tara Mandal Ciaran McCarthy Becky McDonald Jim McDonald Karen McDonald Joe McIntyre Tina McIntyre Darryl Morton Jerry Morton Kayleigh Morton Mel Morton Lloyd Mullaney Karl Munro Hilda Ogden Stan Ogden Ashley Peacock Claire Peacock Kylie Platt Sian Powers Stella Price Graeme Proctor Mark Redman Alf Roberts Maya Sharma Ena Sharples Kirsty Soames John Stape Jed Stone Candice Stowe Luke Strong Charlie Stubbs Percy Sugden Leonard Swindley Dennis Tanner Elsie Tanner Albert Tatlock Ivy Tilsley Nick Tilsley Vernon Tomlin Shelley Unwin Annie Walker Curly Watts Raquel Watts Bill Webster Betty Williams Violet Wilson Derek Wilton Mavis Wilton Anna Windass Eddie Windass Eddie Yeats Lists of characters 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 2017 2018 Original characters Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alec_Gilroy&oldid=813887963 '' Categories : Coronation Street characters Fictional bartenders Fictional characters introduced in 1972 Hidden categories : Use British English from March 2014 Pages using deprecated image syntax Articles needing additional references from August 2011 All articles needing additional references Use dmy dates from February 2011 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Gaeilge Edit links This page was last edited on 5 December 2017, at 19 : 55. 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Question: who was married to bet lynch in coronation street
Answer: Alexander "Alec" Gilroy